:E>yt5 4.

\ o &

GIFT OF
FREDERICK SHELDON PARKER B.A,LLBl
YALE 1873
TO THE
YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
I9ie

SIE WILLIAM MAYNAED GOMM

LONDON I PRIKTBD BY
EPOTTISIVOODE AND fO., NEW-STRKKT SQUA3B
AND PABblAMBNT Sl'IlKET

'z.e^i/- ..^^^aytJ-^i^.^

)., ^(B.(

roli'nf/ofthe, Cold,strea,m, GuM,r-ds.
.^T S4.

LETTEES AND JOUENALS
OP
FIELD-MAESHAL
sm WILLIAM MAYMED GOMM, G.C.B.
COHMANnEB-IK-CHIEF OF INDIA, CONSTABLE OP THB TOWER OF LONDON
&0. &0.
FROM 1~99 TO WATERLOO, IhlS
EDITED
Br FEANCIS CULLING CAKE-GOMM
H.M.'S MADRAS Oivn. SERVIOE

^ How youngly he began to sei^e his povntry,
How long continued' Coriolanus

litlj ^axixniis

LONDON
JOHN MUEEAY, ALBEMAELE STEEET
1881
All rights reserved

:By '54. 1 oo

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
GEOEGE, DUKE OF CAMBEIDGE, K.G. &c.
Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief Her Majesty's Army
f Ijis '§nti Memorial
OP A FELLOW-SOLDIER WHOSE HONEST WOETH AND LOYAL SERVICES
WERE VALUED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY
FOUR GENERATIONS OP THE ROYAL FAMILY
IS, BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S GRACIOUS PERMISSION
putnlilg Bebkatjit

PEEFACE.

The Papers of Field-Marshal Sir William Gomm were in
some measure arranged by hiraself; but Lady Gomm, during
her brief widowhood, set herself most religiously to collect
them, and in some way prepare them for publication. Her
will bequeathed all the manuscripts to General Lord Mark
Kerr, the Hon. Edward Douglas, and Miss Augusta Howard
Vyse, to be retained or published as they should think fit.
They confided the papers to my care, and requested me to
examine and edit them. I have at present only been able to
take the earlier portion of these letters ; but they to a great
extent form so independent and complete a chapter — not only
of his life, but of public history — that it has been decided to
publish them separately, leaving to some future opportunity
the project of preparing for the public the later voluminous
and more general papers.
Although these letters relate to days long gone by, yet
even now such a genuine, truthful, and intelligent record as
they present of the desperate struggle with which the nine
teenth century opened in Europe, has both its value and
interest, not only for the sons and grandsons of those who took
part in it, but for all lovers of their country. Every page
displays the well-read scholar and man of refined feelings and
high character. No one can peruse without emotion the simple
and unpretending account of the soldier-boy's first coming

[8] Preface.
under fire, a few Aveeks after joining his regiment, in the bloody
engagement with the French among the sand dunes of Holland.
The same coolness and courage carried him through every
campaign, almost every battle of the war, from the Helder,
Walcheren, and Corunna, to Torres Vedras, Bayonne, and
Waterloo, all of which are more or less fully described in
these pages.
My own part in this compilation as editor has been but
small. My chief difficulty has been selection. I have intro
duced words of my own only when I feared the continuity of
the narrative might be spoilt without a few connecting links.
The history of the great war is so well written by historians,
and so intimately known to every intelligent Englishman, and
especially to every soldier, that little more than a few touches
seem necessary to recall the whole subject to the reader, so
as to obviate the necessity of refreshing the memory by taking
down the history from the shelf.
I am indebted for these letters, and the excellent preser
vation in which I find them, to two loving women who took
complete charge of them at the earlier and later part of the
honoured writer's life. First to her to whom most of them
were originally addressed, and who preserved, copied, and
docketed them with all a sister's pride and love ; and secondly
to her to whom those old yellow bundles, well known and often
talked about during forty-five years of wedded life, seemed the
most sacred and precious of manuscripts, since they told how he
had won his spurs in the years before they met. From her
they have now passed to other hands, in which they are esteemed
a sacred trust, and are valued for their own intrinsic merit. I
hope and believe they will be similarly valued by the public.
F. C. Carr-Gomm.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
Introductory ......

CHAPTER II.
1794-17.99.
Parentage — First Commission— Woolwich— Joins 9th Regiment
— Expedition to the Helder — Battle op Bergen , , 23
CHAPTER III.
1800-1805.
Coast of Portugal — Vigo Bat — Uibraltae — Lisbon— Return
Home— Aide-de-Camp to Geneeal Commanding N.W. District
— Ireland— Joins Staff College, High Wycombe— Comes op
Age — Correspondence with his Aunt  is
CHAPTER IV.
1805-1808.
Expedition to Beembn— Returns to Staff College — Passes
Examination — Expedition to Stralsund — Bombardment of
Copenhagen — Army receives Thanks op Parliament . . 6
CHAPTER V.
1808.
Ireland — Almost joins Sir John Moore's Expedition to Sweden
— Assistant Quaetbemastbe-Genbeal — Expedition to Spain
UNDER SiE A. Wellesley — Lands at Mondego Bay — Battle
op E0L19A — Battle op Vimiera — Convention of Cintea —
Lisbon  93
a

[lo]

Contents.

CHAPTER VI.
1808-1809.
Under Sir John Moore— Sent on to Examine Roads into
Spain— Advance— No Letters- Retreat to Corunna.^Dbath
of Sir John Moore- Dangerous Voyage Home— Canteebuky
— Coach Accident  109
CHAPTER VII.
1809.
Walcheren Expedition  122
CHAPTER vm.
1810.
Peninsular War- Lisbon— Convent op Batalha — The Portu
guese Army — Thomae  140
CHAPTER IX.
1810,
Sent to Portugal to collect Information— Contrast between
Spanish and Portuguese on the Frontier — Albuquebque—
Badajos — The Marquis of Romana — Elvas — Alcantara —
Forced March — Battle op Busaco — Retreat through
Coimbea pursued by Massbna— The Lines of Torres Vedras
^Sobral — Description op Meeida — CA9EEES — The Beidgb
OP Alcantara — Mapra — Caracola, the Lady Officer — Pur
suit of Massena — Death op Princess Amelia. . . .168
CHAPTER X.
1811.
Torres Vbdeas- Massena deivbn Back — Vandalism of Feenoh
— Horrors op the Retreat- Combats op Pombal, Eedinha,
Casal Nova — Jealousy of Portuguese and Spaniards-
Battle op Fubntes d'Onor-Albuera— Charles Comte
D'ESPAGNA— A Beautiful Encampment  201
CHAPTER XI.
1811-1812.
The Pass op Peeales— Grand Sobneey— Storms— Guaeda— Pro
motion to Majority— Assistant Quaetermastbe-Geneeal 
Storming op Ciudad Eodeigo — Capture — Advance upon
B^'^^'os  231

Contents. [n]

CHAPTER XII.
1812.
Siege— Stokming and Capture op Badajos— Moimenta da Beira
-Sent to Explore beyond Domo -Beauty op Scenery in
Tras-os-Montes — Salamondb, etc. — Advance driving Mar-
MONT OVER the TORMBS— SIEGB OF SALAMANCA— CAPTURE-
Battle op Salamanca— Geneeal Lbith  255
CHAPTER XIII.
1812.
Entry into Madrid — Enthusiastic Reception — Lieutenant-
Colonel FOR Salamanca — Burgos — Unsuccessful Sibgb —
Teebible Retreat — Nbaely Deownbd — Death op his
Grandfather — Lambgo — Surveying in Teas-os-Montbs —
Advance op the Army over Doueo to Vittoria . . .281
CHAPTER XIV.
1813.
Battle op Vittoeia— Before San Sebastian- Failure op Assault
— Want of Engineeeing Caee — The Despatch of Vittoeia —
Beother (Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Gomm) severely
Wounded in Battle of Pyrenees — Captuee of San Sebastian
— Town Burnt  304
CHAPTER XV.
1813-1814.
Driving the French over the Frontier — Death op Moreau —
Nearly taken Peisonbe while out foe a Reconnaissance
AT BiAREiTz — Wounded — Sevbee Fighting, Nive, Nivbllb,
AND St. Pieeee^Allies nearing Paeis — Investment of Ba
yonne — Last Sortie — Raising op the Bouebon White Flag
—Hostilities Suspended — Napoleon Banished to Elba —
Teoops Embark poe America — On Leave to Paris — Lieu
tenant-Colonel Coldstream Guards  323
CHAPTER XVI.
1815.
Knight Commander op the Bath — Napoleon's Escape prom
Elba — Brussels — Appointed to Staff — Quaetermaster-
Genbeal op 5th Picton's Division — Quatee Beas — ^Watbeloo
— Diary of the Campaign and March to Paris — Note on the
Diary written Fifty Teaks aptbewaeds — Waterloo Jot
tings — On Claims op 52nd Regiment to have repulsed the
Imperial Guard — Death op his Brother and Sistee — Finis 346

Pedigree of the Gomm Family.

WiLUAM Gomm, Lord of tbe 1 Married— Dinah, dau. of Richard Christie. She d, 1737.

Manor of Netheroote Housej |
Lewknor, Oxon. ; b. 1698, d.
1780 ; buried atNethercote, the
reverBion of which he sold to
Mr. JodreU

first

Richard Gomm, d. 1769. He
had been twice married. By his
first wife he left an only son, the
Eev, ^\'illiam Gomm, for many
yeaK rector of Bramdean, who
d. 1831, aged 85. He had fifteen
ohildi'en. This branch of the
family is now extinct

He married, secondly, Mariajssh Jaqtjin, widow of M.
de Moivre (by whom she had one daughter, Ann, who sur
vived her and d. 1814). The issue of this marriage was
one daughter, Mary, who majried Mr. Thomas Philpot ;
their only daughter, Marianne, married Sir John Edward
Harington, gi-andfather of the present Sir Richard
Harington

William Gomm, b. 1728. Con-\ Married /'- Marie Jeanne, dau. of the
tractor under the Russian Go- 1752 Russian Councillor de Poggenpohl
vemment at Onega, White Sea. \ at St. \ and his wife Marie de Barraud, of
Sir James Harris (afterwards Lord Peters- Normandy. She d. 1790, and is
' Malmesbury) made him Secretary j burg 1. buried at Mon Repos, St. Peters-

JoHN Gomm,
twice married,
d. 1772, 5. p.

to the Embassy, first at St. Peters
burg, then at the Hague ; d. 1792,
buried in Bath Abbey

burg. Her sister married Baron
von Nicolai

Miss Jaxe Gomm,
b.l753,d.l822;bmied in Bath Abbey.
Employed with her
friend Miss M. C.
Goldsworthy as go
verness to the Prin
cesses, daughters of
H.M. George m.

William Gomm, b. \ Married
at St. Petersburg I 1783,
1754. Lieut.-Col. of f in Bar- '
the 55th Regfc. ; en- ) badoes
gaged throughout the
war with French
Republic in the West
Indies ; wounded at
battle of St. Lucia;
killed at the storm
ing of Pointe i Petre,
Island of Guadaloupe,
1794

¦ Mary Alleyne,
dau. of Joseph
MaynardjEsq., of
Barbadoes, and
his wife Mary Al
leyne Ball ; d. and
buried at Pen
zance, 179C, aged
34

Richard Gomm,
Lieut.R.N.,ldlled 1781, on board
boat of H. M. S.
Bwford.,GfS. Man-
galore, while at
tacking forces of
Hyder Ali

James Gomm,
Lieut. R.N., b.
1762, married
Frances, dau. of
J. Wilder, Esg. ;
d. in Jersey,
leaving Issue

Sophia, 1 1778
b. 1760, 1 Mai'ried at
d. 1837 [ St. reters-
; bm-g

Charles, Count
DE Brtjhl, of tlie
Holy Roman Empire,
late a Lieut.-Gen. hi
the Prussian army ;
d. 1802

Marie, b.
,1779; mar
ried General
von Clause-
witz

Fanny,
married General von
Marwitz

U'n.fJAM May- \ Married f Sophia, dau. of Granville Penn, Henry GoMM,b. Richard Sophia Louisa
NAitD Gomm, ]¦ first, 1 Esq., of Stoke Park, Bucks. She 1786. Lieut.-Col. Gomm, Gomm, b. 1788,
Field - Maishal, d. 1827. of the 6th Regt. ; Ensign; d. 1817 ; buried in
&c. ha.', b. in Bar- Married secondly, at Newbattle d. in 1816 of ta. 1787, Bath Abbey. She
badoes, 1784 ; d. Abbey, in 1830, Elizabeth Ann, wounds received d. 1801. lived with her
1^75; buried at eldest dau. of Lord Robert Kerr atthe battle of aunt Miss Gomm,
Rotherhitlie and his wife Mary, dau. of the Rev. the Pyrenees; and Miss Golds-
Ed. Gilbert, and grand-dau. of the buried at Geneva worthy
6th Marquis of Lothian. She d.
1878, and is buried at Rotherhithe

Frederick William,
Count de Bruhl, b. 1791,
d. 1859. Married Comtesse
Eedwig Gneisenau. Their
issue is five daughters, the
eldest of whom is the Com
tesse Hedwig Briihl. lady in
waiting to the Crown Prin
cess of Prussia (Princess
Royal of England)

LETTERS MD JOUENALS
OF
SIR WILLIAM MAYNARD GOMM,

CHAPTER I,
INTKODUCTORY.
The Life of Sir William Gromm covered ninety years ; his
public and active life commenced at an age when most boys
are leaving a private and entering a public school, and that
life continued to be not only active but public for three
quarters of a century.
It may be divided into foi^r distinct periods, each of about
twenty years: —
I. From 1799 tq 1816, a purely active military life in the
great war against Francp in Holland, Portugal, Spain, and
Belgium ; of which period I will speak more in detail here
after. II. From 1817 to 1839, home military life; when he
advanced from the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Coldstream
Guards to that of major-general. It was during this period that
he married — first, Sophia Penn, the granddaughter of William
Penn, of Pennsylvania, who died in 1827 ; and, secondly,
Elizabeth Kerr, the eldest daughter of Lord Eobert Kerr, who,
after forty-five years of wedded life, during which husband
and wife were hardly for a day separated, survived him only
two years. IJe had no issue by either of these marriages.

2 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
During this period he lost the protectors of his youth — viz.
his cousin, the Rev. W. Gomm, of Bramdean, and his aunt,
Miss Gomm, who had supplied to him the place of the parents
that he had lostnn infancy. Owing to the death of his
brother and sister, he succeeded to all his aunt's property upon
her death in 1822, and became lord of the Manor of Kother-
hithe, inheriting a property which had come through the
Goldsworthys, with whom the earlier part of his life was
so intimately associated. During this period of his life he
travelled in different parts of Europe, devoting a considerable
portion of his spare time to literature.
III. From 1839 to 1856, colonial administrative life.
From 1839 to 1842 he held the chief command and was
Member of Council at Jamaica, during the Administration of
Sir Charles Metcalfe, During the short time he filled that
post, by his urgent representations to the Colonial Office he
succeeded in establishing the mountain barrack of Newcastle ;
which, from the salubrity of its situation, led to a wonderful
improvement in the health of the European troops. For
nearly a quarter of a century a succession of British regiments
enjoyed there an absolute immunity from yellow fever. Sub
sequently the charm seemed broken, and the troops at
Newcastle became as liable to the scourge as if they had been
dwelling in the plains ; a calamity which was brought about
solely by a cruel neglect of most obvious sanitary precautions.
On his return in the spring of 1842 he was gazetted to the
command of the Northern District ; but in November of the
same year he was appointed Governor and Commander-in-
Chief in Mauritius, in the place of Sir Lionel Smith, Bart.,
which appointment he held till 1849. The seven years of
his administration of the island were chiefly marked by great
financial difficulties, caused by the utter destitution of the
labour market and a most unsound system of bankino-. In
dealing with these difficulties the Governor was well sup
ported by the loyal co-operation of the servants of the Crown ;
but he was much opposed by the unofficial members of the
Council. When he resigned office the verdict of the Lords of

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 3
the Treasury at home was, that ' he had deserved credit for
his proceedings in carrying into effect the instructions he had
received for disengaging the Mauritius Government from the
transactions and responsibilities of the banks in which the
Colonial Treasury and Funds had been implicated by his pre
decessors in the administration of the Government.' He pro
ceeded from Mauritius to Calcutta, having received from
the Horse Guards the intimation that her Majesty had been
pleased to appoint him Commander-in-Chief in India. On
arrival at Calcutta on June 2, he found that — owing to the
panic at home, which resulted from the second Sikh War and
the battles of Chillianwallah and Goojerat, and to the jealousy
of the Court of Directors of the direct patronage by the
Crown — his appointment from the Horse Guards had been
superseded, and that Sir Charles Napier had just arrived in
Calcutta before him as Commander-in-Chief, and had at once
proceeded to the Punjab. Sir William found at Calcutta
ample explanations from the Duke of "Wellington and Lord
Fitzroy Somerset.' His disappointment was heightened by
' Such a bitter disappointment can have rarely befa}len any man. He left
Mauritius with her Majesty's orders in his hands, appointing him to the highest
military command out of England, and hjs journal on the long sea voyage shows
with what delight he looked forward to such a congenial sphere. He had no idea
of his supersession until the vessel wfis in the Hooghly. How he met the blow
may be seen from a memorandum found in his handwriting, dated Calcutta,
July 1849.
' Others may have had, and I doubt not had, better reasons than myself for
regarding this matter chiefly in its private bearings, and as it aifected them
selves. I have the satisfaction of recording that from the first the public considera
tion was not only uppermost but paramount and all-controlling with me. I saw
myself, the youngest Lieutenant-General in the army, advanced impromptu and
most unexpectedly by myself — since two general oflficers, my seniprs, and epnsider-
ably so, were already holding stations in India — to the highest military trust
which it is in the power of the sovereign to confer. But an emergency had sud
denly arisen, or was believed to have arisen, in which if the services of distin
guished military prowess already given proof of could be at once obtained, the
ministry would be unpardonable, I thought, which should hesitate for a moment
to apply them, to the quashing of all other dispositions on foot, and the more
inexcusable in proportion to the magnitude of the successes already obtained
through the exercise of such powers, and the firmness of hold thus fastened upon
public opinion. Such an opportunity presented itself most prominently in the
person of Sir Charles Napier, and India had been the very scene of his successes.
b2

4 The Earlier Letters and fournals of
the serious illness of Lady Gomm, contracted, it was supposed,'
while nursing a sick friend. It was not till September that
they were able to leave Calcutta; they remained for two
months the guests of Lord and LaJy Torrington, in Ceylon,
and arrived in England in January 1850. In the following
August he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Bombay ;
but on the eve of starting was appointed to the chief command,
owing to Sir Charles Napier suddenly resigning his command,
in consequence of differences between himself and Lord
Dalhousie. On December 6, he landed in Calcutta, and was
sworn in as Member of Council and Commander-in-Chief. The
five years of his military command in India were comparatively
uneventful, a calm occurring between the Sikh War and the
great Mutiny of 1857 ; and that calm was hardly ruffled by
the distant storm which was raging during two of those years
on the shores of the Baltic and Black Seas: a suggestive
thought for us who have seen in our own day how even a
Could I have descended to the private consideration, even in the first moments of
my acquaintance with my disappointment, I might have found consolation in the
fact of my supersessor being considerably my senior in the army, and as such
entitled to the preference in limine, although this would afford, of course, no
adequate satisfaction for the cancelling, under ordinary circumstances, of my
appointment once conferred. Au reste, it was notorious that Napier's quarrel with
the Court of Directors had been the only bar to his appointment, in the ordinary
course, in succession to Lord Gough, an obstruction which the panic of the hour at
once swept away. (Signed) 'W. M. Gomm.'
Here, if anywhere, is a proof that the metal died in this fire was gold. This
was genuine loyalty, a rarer virtue than is sometimes thought. It was at one time
asserted that it was the Duke himself who had sent out Napier. 'If you do not
go, sir, /must,' was said to have been the sententious compliment by which the
Prince of Waterloo overpersuaded the reluctant Napier to go. This now is ac
knowledged to be pure fiction. The Duke was not frightened by Chillianwallah ¦
he himself publicly declared that he was frightened neither for India nor for
India's heroic army, for its safety or its laurels ; and that he never doubted the
next intelligence would bring tidings of brilliant triumph and elorious

success.

The Duke of Wellington believed Sir William Gomm quite fit for the exigency
competent to deal with its complications and to terminate its crisis Had he been
left to himself he would not have superseded Sir William Gomm in the command
to which he had been named but he was overruled. JEquam omenta rebus in
ardms servare mentem is an old piece of advice, but it is few who c«n fnll.w \
The Duke did when the news of Chillianwallah staggered England. S^ Sam
Gomm did when the news of his supersession was his welcome to Calcutta

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 5
threatened rupture with Russia will now throw our Indian
borders into disorder. The cordial relations which existed
between the civil and military authorities of that period were
due as much to the wise kindheartedness of the Commander-
in-Chief as to his intimate personal friendship with Lord
Dalhousie. Commenting upon this in a review of his life,
one of the leading Loudou journals in 1875 wrote: 'Sir
William Gomm's work was always thoroughly and smoothly
done, and he had no enemies. The great proof of a person's
real worth is to be found in the attachment of those brought
into private intercourse with him. Now, all Sir William's
associates, especially those who at various times constituted
his military family, loved and respected him. In India, where
he succeeded the eccentric, impetuous, and prejudiced genius,
Sir Charles Napier — who held that every one who was not his
partisan was either a fool or a knave, preferably the latter,
and most probably both — Sir William was extremely popular,
and his popularity was much promoted by his wife, who pre
sided over society with much grace and perfect success. None
save those who have been in India can realise the fact that
the purity and refinement of Anglo-Indian society depend
greatly on the qualities of the lady who is at the head of it.
At Simla, especially, personal influence and example work
wonders ; and never was the society of the Capua of India
in so healthy a state as when it was presided over by Lady
Gomm. Her social, moral, and mental qualities admirably
fitted her for the position which she assumed when her friend
Lady Dalhousie, after a short stay in India, returned home-
M'ards, only to die on the passage ; and many an old Indian
looks back with affectionate recollection to the time when
Lady Gomm was the centre and queen of the society in the
beautiful British settlement in the Himalayas.'
IV. From 1856 to 1875. Dignified and honoured old age.
During this period he resided either at his cottage in Bram
dean, Hampshire, or at Brunswick Terrace, Brighton, or at
his house at Spring Gardens, looking into St. James's Park.
In 1863 he succeeded Lord Clyde as Colonel of the Cold-

6 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
stream Guards, the regiment to which he had been transferred
from the 9th half a century before for distinguished service
through the Peninsular war. On January 1, 1868, he received
his baton as Field-Marshal, and on the death of Sir John
Burgoyne in 1871 he was appointed Constable of the Tower.
He quietly rested from his long and arduous services on
March 15, 1875, in the ninety-first year of his age, after
eighty years passed in the service of his country.
Of the public estimation in which he was held, no further
comment would seem necessary than the above enumeration of
the distinguished positions for which he was selected, and iu
all of which he achieved a success which, being quiet rather
than brilliant, was the more concordant with his simple but
manly character. One or two incidents, however, may here
be added. In notifying to Sir William his appointment, with
the sanction of her Majesty, as Constable of the Tower, Mr.
Gladstone writes that ' his motive ia making this proposal is to
secure for a post of honour the name best qualified by service
and distinction to adorn it.'
The following memorandum, in Lady Gomm's handwriting,
is the record of a distinguished compliment paid to him on the
occasion of the Emperor of Russia's visit in 1874 : —
' Sir Charles Ellice sat next rae at dinner yesterday. I
was pleased at the way he described to me the scene at the
Duke of Cambridge's table last May, of which, oddly enough,
I had not heard any account, except from Sir William and
Prince Teck ; although the Duke of Cambridge told me how
gratifying it was to him that it had happened at his table. It
seems there are never any speeches on these occasions. The
Duke gave the Emperor of Russia's health standing. The
Emperor gave the Queen's. He then stood up and proposed
"The Peninsular hero present, the Field-Marshal." All seem
to have been taken by surprise, no one more so than Sir Wil
liam himself, who was seated between Prince Teck and Sir
Charles Ellice. He did the right thing ; in the most digni
fied and simple manner, he got up and bowed most gratefully
to the Czar, and then to the Duke of Cambridge. sTr Charles

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 7
Ellice spoke of it quite with emotion, and considered that
every one present felt gratified by the compliment to the oldest
soldier in the army. The Emperor of Russia afterwards sent
Sir William the Order of St. Vladimir, which, however, the
rule of our service does not permit him to wear. He has the
Order of St. Ann (also Russian), and Lord Derby offered to
exchange, through the two Governments, the Vladimir for
the highest order or class (Grand Cross) of St. Ann's, but Sir
William said he would prefer to retain in its present form the
St. Ann, which he" received at Waterloo under peculiar cir
cumstances, with a little band who are now no more, and to
retain the Vladimir, though not permitted to wear it, as a
personal compliment from the present Czar.'
Thus, having attained the highest honours possible in the
army, esteemed and beloved by all who knew him, from the
chief over whose military education he had been once selected
to preside, to the private of the Coldstreams, who was glad to
salute as his colonel the veteran whose breast was covered
with medals of the battles most famous in his country's history,
and from the monarch, whose privileged and trusted servant he
had been throughout her long reign, to his humblest tenant at
Rotherhithe, where his charities and good deeds were broadcast,
he ended in perfect peace a life whose boyhood and early man
hood had been passed in such Titanic war.
To quote again from the essayist mentioned above, who
evidently knew him intimately : ' In appearance Sir William
Gomm was short and slight, but though slight he was wiry,
and preserved his bodily and mental activity almost to the last.
When nearly ninety he worked as briskly as many men of
threescore, while the clearness of his intellect seemed to be
unaffected by the lapse of years. The chief sign of age was
his deafness, which prevented him taking so active a part in
conversation as both he and his friends would have liked.
Sir William, though he never appeared before the public as
an author, was from his earliest youth up fond of literature ;
wrote several pieces of poetry of more than average merit, and
possessed a most cultivated and refined mind. His passion for

8 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
music was extreme, and he may indeed be described as a
thoroughly accomplished English gentleman. In disposition
he was genial, polished, andkindhearted, and his circle of friends
comprised every one who had known the good old man. It
would be an exaggeration to pretend that he was an eminent
general, or that his abilities were of the highest class. In no
one office that he held did he leave the mark of genius; but
geniuses frequently do less good work than a conscientious
modest man of experience, common-sense, good abilities, and
diligence. Such a man was Sir William Gomm.'
His love of reading was great, and his note-books abound
in abstracts and in criticisms on the books which he read.
These books were generally the best, and were carefully
studied ; for instance, during the course of the summer of 1855,
at Simla, he read Grote's 'History of Greece,' and his
elaborate resume and intelligent criticism of the whole show
that it was made a real study. Nor were lighter books dis
regarded. His love of Homer was lifelong; the follow
ing note was found in his handwriting, dated 1871:— 'Early
in 1794, the undersigned, then ten years of age, was first
down in the breakfast- room one morning, and spying his
father's favourite volume of Pope's "Homer" high up on the
mantelpiece above him, he drew a chair aud climbing up
reached it, and drank in for the first time the story of the
death of Hector before interruption arrived, and never left his
hold of the Iliad from that day to this, consigning over " Sand-
ford and Merton," then just out, for the'scrutiny of other
tastes,' This love of Homer was all-pervading, and creeps out
in his early letters from the battle-fields of Spain, and in his
writings and diaries all through his life.
As stated above, his love of music was intense His
diaries are full of musical notes, and it was fortunate that the
deafness, which alone marked the decay of his physical powers
did not, up to the last, aff^ect his musical enjoyment In his'
diary atthe end of 1855, when, after his five years' command
in India, he was looking forward to what he called his ' Ticket
of Leave,' he writes: 'Dear England, shall I again hear the

Sir William Maynard Gomm. §
revel of thy woodlands ? Alas ! my poor ears are growing
very unworthy of it all ; but not of the harmonies and thunder-
music of thy great Concert Halls; the temples of Handel and
Mendelssohn ; nor of the great choirs that might well call down
the seraphim to listen.' His love of music was strong to the
very end. A week or two before his death, his niece (now
Mrs. Carr-Gomm) mentioned that she was going to hear the
' Messiah.' He at once brightened up at the name of the
oratorio, sent for the book, sat up in bed, and, turning over
its pages, hummed over with strong voice many of his favourite
airs, and spoke with delight of the beauties of different pas
sages. Many will recollect seeing at the Exeter Hall Sacred
Harmonic reunions the handsome and happy face of the gallant
veteran who for years was their constant attendant.
No notice of either Sir William or of Lady Gomm
would be complete which did not mention their great love of
animals. To their last days every anecdote of wonderful
animal sagacity or instinct was eagerly treasured up. From
his early years, when first a mounted officer in the Peninsular
war, to his latest days, his attachment to his horses was heart
felt. With no ordinary love does he speak of his little ' Phan
tom,' who carried him like lightning over the field of Vittoria ;
of ' George,' who carried him at Quatrebras and Waterloo,
and spent a green old age in Stoke Park, where he was
buried with honour at the ripe age of thirty-two ; and of all the
horses which formed an integral part of his family wherever
he was. The following extract from his diary in 1856, when leaving
India, speaks for itself. He is writing of the sorrow of say
ing farewell to all his old servants. ' And then our horses —
oh ! our horses ; dear " Fatty," my favourite bearer of more
than twelve years, and friend for more than fourteen, too old
to risk his taking home, though hale and hearty, with much of the
colt about him still, made over to General Johnstone, worthily
bestowed in every sense ; his title is to be raised in importance
to that of " The Chief." Honest and showy little " Rosy,"
George Berkeley's present to Elizabeth on leaving India,

TO The Earlier Letters and Journals of
made over also into good hands. " Gholab Sing," the prince of
ponies, and Burmese " Woonghee " happily provided for too ;
but all how reluctantly parted from ! And would we could close
the catalogue of regretted ones here ! Our four horses that we
intended taking home, the three pet Arabs, " Simkln," " Pekin,"
and " Bedouin," and"Momus" (dear Momus ! ), were led down
this morning to the Raj Ghat for passing on board the steam
vessel that was to take us. Before we arrived some grievous mis
management occurred. The Arabs passed each in turn over
the too negligently provided causeway of loose planks extended
between shore and boat, with their wonted docility. But not
so our precious " Momus." The unsteady motion of the planks
beneath him, the vibration, increased, perhaps, by his heavier
weight, alarmed him ; he hesitated in mid-passage, and would
have turned back. His hind-quarters dropped instantly over
the plank edge, and he was precipitated, disappearing for
raoments in the depth of water running along the low sand
cliff bordering the river, his head presently raised by the Syce
who kept hold of the halter, and the noble creature was hauled
to land in sore amazement, incapable of standing, and too
surely suffering though no outward wound was visible. Jones,
our butler, galloped back to meet us as we were coming on ele
phants, and apprised us of what had happened. His announce
ment will long ring heavily in my ears ; brief, and like that of
Antilochus in import. On my arrival there lay outstretched
broadside, along the strand of the Chenab — " Like the tall
bark whose lofty prow shall never stem the billows more " — the
ruined frame of one of the noblest horses that ever trod the
soil of India or any other. Hopes were tiied to be entertained
for a time of eventual revival ; the eye was still bright as
when careering in his pride, and the pulse healthy, but the
spasmodic tremor of the limbs betrayed too surely to the prac
tised eye how all was faring with him — and with me. The
spine had been irremediably ruptured by the fall ; he could
never rise again ; and although we still hoped that there was
no acute pain (though there was, indeed, so much of heroic in
his nature that he may very possibly have been sufterino- in-

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 1 1
tensely while " looking tranquillity," and responding by his
sidelong gaze to all the terms of endearment I was lavishing
upon him), the symptoms of fatal injury became gradually
more palpable. Too well convinced of this, I made prepara
tions for departure, leaving it to our good friend Mr. AUgood
to see the stern necessity properly carried into effect, antici
pating a lingering suffering, by some worthy hands of the
Irregular Cavalry. And may few part with as heavy hearts
from this shore through coming time as we have borne away
with us this day.
' Of the twelve years of our Mauritian and Indian lives, and
the brief period intervening, that horse has been a principal
delight. Wherever I presented myself, " Grey Momus," the
pride of every field, sure victor in the race on the " Champ de
Mars " of Port Louis, and where he was not " crying Ha !
ha ! among the trumpets," looking it to the life wherever there
have been musterings of troops and rustlings of arms for my
inspections throughout India. Even fuller of years, perhaps,
than his worthy compeer " Fatty " — both having accompanied
us from the Cape in 1842— -he also bore them, like the oak
of ages bears his leaves, greenly still ; and while at a loss
to find hands into which I might safely confide him, if left
behind, I trusted that he might be spared to me for years of
further enjoyment of vigorous life, the " observed of all ob
servers" at home: sed dis aliter visum.
' I have since received assurance that ail was most humanely
carried through. Intense suffering was coming on shortly
after I left him ; but the sun went down upon the calm repose
and deep-delved and well-protected grave of a hero. For of
such material was not the noble creature's nature full ? '
While speaking of their love of animals, no one who re
members Sir William and Lady Gomm during the years 1840
to 1851 would willingly pass unnoticed the splendid mastiff,
Coonah, who during those twelve years was by sea and land
their constant companion. Lady Gomm writes about him:
' Coonah was given to me when a puppy in Jamaica in 1840.
He was, I believe, a Cuban mastiff; a fine dark brindle colour,

12 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
with white breast and forepaws. He stood about thirty inches
high, broad chest, with the appearance of great strength and
power. His heavy silver collar measures seven inches in
diameter ; his face was full of intelligence, and I named him
on the spot after the range of mountains v>'here he was born.
It is natural to suppose that a dog, living so much in the
society of human creatures, would become attached and
domestic ; but Coonah seemed from the first to know that he
had been given to me for my special solace and amusement.
At first, considering him too large for a lapdog, I merely
used to have him for my out-of-door companion, and he slept
in the stables ; but I gave him his food* myself every day.
The first instance I remember of his particular attachment to
myself was, when he was still a very young dog, on the
occasion of Sir William being suddenly called on military
business from the mountain cottage where we lived to town,
and my remaining alone at Prospect. Our servants (even my
own maid) slept in neighbouring huts, and the Staff had
accompanied Sir William ; probably, therefore, I sat on the
terrace rather later than usual with Coonah. At all events, at
bedtime he refused to leave me ; and the more I told him to
go and the servant called him, the more he crouched at my
feet, looking up into my- face most imploringly. The result
was that when the servants left me and shut up the house, I
turned the key on myself and Coonah as sole occupants ; and
I thought the dog seemed to know the comfort he would be to
me in my novel situation. From this time to the end of our
stay in Jamaica he slept at the door of our room. His bound
of delight at seeing me after every separation, however slight,
was once very nearly the cause of serious accident to him.
It was on the beach near the Hotel Pharoux at Rio, in early
morning. I went out, and desired the servant to unfasten
him and let him follow rae. The dog when loosed, seeing me
at some distance, made straight for ine, and with such force
leapt upon me that it nearly threw me down. This being
observed by the boatmen, they rushed up with oars, paddles,
and boathooks to destroy him ; and I had some difficulty, by

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 13
clasping him round the neck, to show that we were friends —
not strangers to each other. This probably saved his life.
. . . On our two voyages to India Coonah was our com
panion, and always accompanied us on our Indian journeys.
He travelled either in a palkee-gharri or marched with the
horses. I had a dhooly for him on the Hills aud two bearers,
of which mode of conveyance he highly approved. But he
did not long survive our second journey to India, nor did he
die of old age. Poor Coonah was taken ill at Barnes Court,
Simla, on Saturday, May 10, 1851 ; one day of severe illness,
when hot baths and everything that could be thought of were
tried to give him ease, but without effect. He died the same
evening ; and Sir William buried him in the garden, under a
sweetbriar, the next morning. From that day we called the
place Coonah's Terrace. For twelve years he had been my
faithful and affectionate companion.'
It may seem to some trivial in so slight a sketch of a long-
continued and eventful life to dwell so long upon horses and
dogs ; but such anecdotes are really more indicative of the
character than many more weighty matters would be, and
both with husband and wife love of and kindness to all animals
was almost a religious feeling. Nothing more quickly roused
the anger of this man, whose youth had been spent among the
most terrible scenes of bloodshed, than to see the slightest
cruelty to any animal ; for the suffering of dumb creatures he
had more than a woman's tenderness. His was the true love of
animals which not merely extending to a few favoured pets,
resents all unnecessary severity to the animals which are
especially the servants of man, and does not take delight in
the needless death of any.
Sir William kept a regular diary during the latter half of
his life, and an irregular one the greater part of it. At the
more interesting part of his life — as while he was in Jamaica
and India — and whenever he travelled on the Continent, the
diary expanded into a full narrative ; whereas in flatter times
it fell off into an occasional note or memorandum, entered at
varying intervals. He wrote much in verse, and on many

14 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
important public questions corresponded with those who had
made such subjects their specialty. He wrote valuable com
ments on many books, and maintained interesting correspond
ence with many authors and poets. He carefully preserved
all papers which he thought of special interest, and of
much of his official correspondence he kept a private copy.
From the above it may readily be inferred, considering the
length of his life and the number of important offices which
he held, that his papers are exceedingly voluminous.
The present papers consist almost entirely of — (1st) Notes
of his family and early recollections, put together by Sir
William himself; and (2ndly) letters written to his sister and
aunt, principally the former, during his absence on the different
campaigns. They extend from 1799 — he was born in 1784 —
to 1816. During this period he was employed first under the
command of the Duke of York and Sir Ralph Abercromby,
in the unprofitable campaign to the Helder against the French
under General Vandamme. Next his regiment went in 1800
on a somewhat purposeless cruise along the Portuguese coast,
aud then to Gibraltar and Lisbon ; but there was not much
fighting to be done, and the regiment came home at the end of
the year, being nearly lest at sea.
In the following year (1801) he was aide-de-camp to the
General commanding the Northern Division; and in 1803 he
got his captaincy, at the age of eighteen, and did duty with
his regiment in Ireland. In 1805 he studied at the Royal
Military College at High Wycombe, where he was under the
instruction of Sir Howard Douglas, who from that time was
his attached friend. In 1806 he again joined his regiment,
when it went over to Hanover in another somewhat futile ex
pedition ; and in the following year (1807) was employed
under Lord Cathcart in an exploit which reflects no credit
upon our country's arms or honour — viz. the destruction of
Copenhagen. He was then upon the Quartermaster-General's
Staff, on which, with some interruptions, he remained until the
termination of the Waterloo campaign. In 1808 he went
with Sir A. Wellesley to Portugal, and was engao-ed in the

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 15
battles of Roli9a and Vimiera. In October, 1808, he advanced
with Sir John Moore into Spain, and with him made his
masterly but disastrous retreat to Corunna. He was almost
the last man of the force to embark, and having done so was
nearly lost on his way to England. His ill-fortune seemed
still to continue, for in the summer of 1809 we find him told off
to accompany the melancholy Walcheren expedition under the
great Minister's brother. Here he contracted in the trenches
of Flushing a malarious fever, of which he could not shake
himself clear for four years ; but, considering the number of
men left behind in those dismal swamps, he may be reckoned
fortunate to have come away even though in evil plight.
Here the tide of his fortunes may be said to have turned,
for in these first ten years his most glorious achievement was
sharing in an arduous retreat under the illustrious Moore ;
while the only success of our arms was at Copenhagen, and
was the most inglorious act of his long career.
The next year (1810) he was again with the army in Spain,
having through his absence at Walcheren missed sharing the
glories of Talavera — almost the only great Peninsular battle
at which he was not present. From that day forward till the
close of the great war he found himself under his former
chief, and his friend for the next forty years, the great Duke ;
and though opposed to the mightiest of those famous mili
tary leaders — Massena, Ney, Marmont, Soult, and finally
Napoleon himself — he was thenceforward on the winning side,
unless we should except the unsuccessful siege of Burgos, and
the disastrous though well-managed retreat therefrom. His
battle-roll thenceforward is an epitome of the Peninsular
war. He was in the rapid advance to and battle of Busaco, followed
by the quick but orderly retreat over the Mondego, through
Coimbra, Leyria, and Santarem, drawing Massena on till he
found himself confronted by the impassable and hitherto un
suspected lines of Torres Vedras, behind which from the
heights of Sobral the English — in comparative comfort dur
ing the winter months — watched Massena and the French

1 6 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
becoming gradually reduced, till they in their turn had to re
treat in the spring from point to point, fighting continually till
they were completely routed at Fuentes d'Onor. He bore his
part in the terrible sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, and
in the battle of Salamanca, for his conduct in which battle the
Duke specially recommended him for promotion, and he be
came a lieutenant-colonel before he was twenty-eight years of
age. Thence followed the bright advance into the capital
of Spain, driving Joseph from his ill-fitting throne ; and the
march through Valladolid to Burgos, where for once Wel
lington had to own himself foiled after many brave assaults,
and the siege had to be raised, while another odious retreat
had to be conducted and the army placed in safety on the
other side of the Agueda. Perhaps this was one of the most
arduous and trying manceuvres in which Gomm ever bore a
part. It was a retreat after a failure, jn the face of an over
powering foe led by a general more skilful than he who
allowed himself to be defeated at Salamanca (for Soult never
allowed his hand to be forced like Marmont) ; the army was
disorganised and almost mutinous, and throughout disheartened;
the weather was most unfavourable ; the Ministry very tardy
in their suj)port ; while the newspapers and the public at home
were then, as ever, loud in their denunciation of those who
are not ostensibly and continuously successful, and utterly in-
appreciative of able generalship under difficulties. It was in
these circumstances that Gomm most truly appreciated the
force of his leader's character. This is fully seen in his letter
of November 22, 1812, written ere the sad march was con
cluded. That young Gomm's letters were not the usual
military comments of the day is most noticeable if reference be
made to the English journals of that time, and notice be taken
of the carping ignorance with which the conduct of Wellington
was therein condemned upon the authority of officers who were
indeed with the army, but to whom the complicated and
skilfully prudent movements of the General were quite un
intelligible. It is easy to be wise after the event, and nothing
is more remarkable in these letters than the correctness of

Sir William Maynard Gomm. \ 7
Gomm's judgment of the great deeds which were enacted be
fore him. During the winter, while the army rested in North
Portugal, Gomm's time was busily employed in surveying the
roads and passes over the Douro and through Tras-os-Montes ;
in the spring the knowledge thus acquired was able to be
turned to good effect, and it was owing to this knowledge
that — much to the astonishment of Jourdain — Graham's wing
of the army at the battle of Vittoria had the support of artil
lery. Then followed the long siege of San Sebastian, and the
driving of the French out of Spain — a feat the accomplish
ment of which the home-croakers had all along declared to be
beyond the power of our general and our army. Our passage
of the French frontier was warmly opposed ; and almost daily
battles were fought on the banks of the Bidassoa, the Nivelle,
the Nive, and the Adour, where Gomm says that he had never
been exposed to so many, risks as during those few days.
In 1814, while investing Bayonne, he was encamped at
Biarritz, a village then so insignificant as not to be marked in
the maps, and there was received in April the news of the
restoration of the Bourbons and Napoleon's retreat into Elba.
Peace being restored, he travelled through France, and
reached home in the autumn. He then reaped the reward of
his good service, being transferred to the Coldstream Guards
and made a K.C.B.
The following year (1815) saw him once more beside his
old chief, once more in his old Staff appointment, as the
Quartermaster-Generalof Picton's division (the Fighting Fifth),
and once more opposed to the French — this time under the
great commander himself. Both at Quatre Bras and Waterloo
he was, as he says, ' in the hottest of all this glorious business.'
Then he followed up the French to Paris itself, where he saw
the King's return.
It will thus be seen that in all the great events of that
great time he bore his part — a part quite as great as was con
ceivable for a man of his age, if not born in the purple.
Through all these murderous battles he had seemed, as he says,
to bear a charmed life ; it may almost be said that he escaped

1 8 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
unhurt through them all, for the slight wound he received in
the leg at the Nivelle was not enough to incapacitate him for
work, and the touch he had at Bergen, when only fourteen
years of age, was to his sorrow only a scratch, and too rapidly
imperceptible. In fact, he personally suffered less in a score
of hard and bloody and long-contested battles than many a lad
does in a single football match. It is, of course, impossible
to say how many hairbreadth escapes he had, many of them,
curiously enough, from drowning, both in sea and in flood. He
frequently had to lament that the beloved horses which he was
riding did not escape equally well with himself. At Busaco, at
Vittoria, at the Nive, and at Quatre Bras, his horses were shot
under him. The narrowness of his own escape at Vittoria was
little short of miraculous.
His brother Henry, of whom so frequent mention is made
in these letters, was only eighteen months his junior. He
does not seem to have shared either his brother's good luck
or brightness of temper; nor, to judge from his letters,
was he a man of the same rare culture as William Gomm.
He was in the 6th Regiment and was wounded in the battle
of the Pyrenees on July 24, 1813. The wound was not at
first considered dangerous, but it refused to close, and his
health was soon undermined, although he returned to England
and received all the care that a tender sister's nursing could
supply. In the hopes of restoring him to health. Sir William
Gomm, after the conclusion of the war, and as soon as he could
get leave, took him abroad in 1816, intending to let him have
the benefit of the winter in Northern Italy. They only got,
however, as far as near Geneva, when Henry Gomm suddenly
grew worse, and died in a wayside inn. His brother, terribly
broken-hearted, buried him in the cemetery at Geneva, and
returned alone.
In the following year (1817) a still greater trial awaited
him : his only sister Sophia, to whom nearly all the following
letters are addressed, faded away, and before the close of the
year left him to mourn his sadly desolate condition. Some
thing may be known of the love between this brother and

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 19
sister from the letters ; but to the close of his life, though he
survived her by nearly sixty years, he could hardly speak of
her without his eyes filling with tears. The tone of his letters,
the care with which he preserved to his old age her latest
letters to him as some of his most valued treasures, the way in
which he always spoke of her as he looked at her miniature,
showed the singular love which he bore to her ; and it is through
her appreciation of him, and the careful way that she preserved
and arranged, and partly copied out, all his letters to her, now
three-quarters of a century ago, that we are to-day enabled to
read this simple, manly narrative of the events of those days,
written at the time with all the personality and brightness
of the actor, and yet with all the reverence due to her
gentler nature, avoiding both the indelicate and self-conceited
detail of ' our own special ' — that hideous emanation of
our day — and the cold balancing of the historian who writes,
years after, of past events when all the freshness has faded out
of them. One or two things are chiefly noteworthy as we read these
letters ; one is, how excellently just a view the writer took of
the affairs which were unfolding themselves before him, although
he was an actor, and they were affairs 'big with destinies
of realms,' and it is not always easy even with our modern
appliances of telegrams and summaries rightly to estimate the
significance of our present position. Another point is, how
singularly modest the writer was ; he was but a youth, writing
to a sister who worshipped him ; he was an actor in all the
great doings of the time, yet not even in the earliest letters is
there the faintest word of ' brag ' or ' tall writing ' ; he writes
of what he saw, rarely of what he did. As an instance of this,
I may mention that, speaking to me of these early letters, an
officer who has himself borne high command said, ' Do you
find any notice of those two guns Gomm brought up at a
critical point in one of the early Peninsular battles ? ' On my
telling him I found no mention of the circumstance, he said,
' That is singular, for I always heard that that was what first
brouo-ht him to the Duke's notice, and the Duke was so pleased
c 2

20 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
with him for this that he never lost sight of him from that
day.' He had genuine loyalty in his disposition, and it is
apparent in all his correspondence — a loyalty which means not
a mere acknowledgment of and attachment to the sovereign,
for this is the natural inheritance of every respectable member
of the community, but in its higher and fuller sense a constant
and faithful disposition to uphold constituted authority. Dis
loyalty was not unknown among our officers in the Peninsular
war, who questioned and set at nought in estimation, if not in
practice, all the plans of their leaders; and such disloyalty
spreads now, like a noxious weed, through every rank and
every profession in our country. In schools and in the church,
among country yokels, and even in the Houses of Parliament,
as well as in the services, authority is now contemned, and
has difficulty to uphold its very existence.' From the time
when Gomm was a subaltern in camp he was always prompt
to render a willing and cheerful obedience to the powers that
be, and was always truly and faithfully loyal. Further, note
what a cultivated mind he had, so full of classical allusions,
so appreciative of the highest forms of architecture and
music and poetry, so well-informed on all points, so good
a linguist — and yet his schooling was in days we are apt to
consider the dark ages of education, and he left school before
he was fifteen years old, and was from that day in camp
and on duty. It is true, and this perhaps is the secret, that
though an orphan, he was lovingly and tenderly brought up ;
he never lost any opportunity, whether in home canton
ment or on foreign and active service, of trying to improve
himself; he read the best books, and made careful criticisms
on them; he associated with and always seems to have
been a favourite in the best society, wherever he was. Add
to this that he was a singularly pure-minded and religious
man, and we have a picture of what from his earliest days, as
far as we can judge from his writings. Sir William Gomm
¦ Disloyal persons were thus described many centuries ago by a sacred writer :
¦They despise government; presumptuous are they, self-willed; they are not
afraid to speak evil of dignities.'

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 2 1
seems to have been, and of what we certainly know him to
have been in later years — a perfect English gentleman.
And it was to an officer's feeling as a gentleman first, and
as a soldier afterwards, that Sir William Gomm, when he him
self came to power, used always to appeal whenever he had to
reprimand ; and this is in entire accordance with the anecdote
told of the Duke of Wellington at i)age 373. We have a good
specimen of this style of dealing on an occasion when, as Com
mander-in-Chief in India, he had to prohibit the practice of
anonymous newspaper correspondence. The following is from
a circular letter addressed to commanding officers from the
Adjutant-General's Office in Simla, 1853 : —
' The Commander-in-Chief in India noticed some time ago
in the " Lahore Chronicle " a very unbecoming anonymous
letter, apparently emanating from a Queen's regiment, and
full of murmurs at the prospect of a move.
' 2. Distressed as his Excellency was to suppose that any
officer of that corps could so far have forgotten what is due to
his service, his regiment, and himself, as to have written this
letter, the Commander-in-Chief abstained from inquiry ; but
a few weeks later another letter appeared in the " Delhi
Gazette," written in the name of another regiment, and also
anonymous. This second letter was still more improper and
unsoldierlike than the first, and personally insulting to the
Commander-in-Chief. ' 3. His Excellency ,"not as General Sir William Gomm,
but as Commander-in-Chief in India, responsible for the
discipline and character of her Majesty's service in this
country, felt that he could no longer be passive, and directed
inquiry to be made.
' 4. The result is that a captain in the service, with be
coming contrition, at once confessed himself to be the author
of the letter.
' 5. In consequence of this candid and prompt avowal, the
Commander-in-Chief has overlooked the particular offence, but
his Excellency feels it his duty to put the officers of the
Queen's service upon their guard.

2 2 The Earlier Letters and Journals of
' 6. From the unmilitary practice of anonymous writing in
the newspapers, and the still more blamable practice of
anonymous complaints, her Majesty's service has hitherto
been supposed to be free.
'7. It is hardly necessary to dwell upon the pernicious
example which an officer who is inconsiderately drawn into a
compliance with such practices thus sets to his own subordi
nates. No reflecting member of the profession can deny that
such example tends to sap the foundation of all discipline.
' 8. You are requested, therefore, to read this communica
tion to the assembled officers of the regiment under your com
mand, and repeat to them an aphorism of the great Duke of
Wellington, which was quoted by Sir William Gomm as
his only reprimand to the author of the second letter herein
mentioned : —
' " To write an anonymous letter is the meanest action of
which any man can be -guilty." '

Sir William Maynard Gomm. 23

CHAPTER IL
1794-1799.
Parentaob— FiEST Commission — Woolwich — Joins 9th Beoiment —
Expedition to the Hbldeb— Battle of Beegien.
From a manuscript memoir of his family drawn out by
Sir William Gomm in 1834, it appears that the Gomms were
an Oxfordshire family, and that his great-grandfather, William
Gomm, who died at Nethercote in 1780, had considerable
estates there. His second son (Sir William's grandfather),
William, resided in Russia, marrying a Russian lady of good
family ; he embarked in very large commercial enterprises,
constructing the port of Onega in the White Sea, and opening
an extensive commerce and navigation in a previously obscure
and unproductive corner of the Russian empire. The contracts
made by the Czar Peter were, however, perfidiously broken
by his successor, and Mr. Gomm's enterprise was ruined. He
was then appointed secretary to the embassy, first at the court
of St, Petersburg, and then at the Hague, by his friend Sir
James Harris, afterwards Lord Malmesbury.
His eldest son, William (Sir W^illiam Gomm's father),
entered the army, and served with distinction through the
American and West Indian wars from 1776 to 1794. While
in the West Indies, he married, in 1782, Mary Alleyne
Maynard, whose family resided in Barbadoes and had large
estates there. He was an officer of great merit and distinction,
and was frequently mentioned in the despatches of the time.
He was wounded at the battle of St. Lucie in 1779, and the
following interesting mention of the circumstance is found
among his son's papers : —

24 The Earlier Lettei^s and Journals of [1794..
' I remember, while aide-de-camp at Liverpool to one of my
father's truest and worthiest friends. General Benson, in the
year 1801, entering the reading-room of the Athenaeum, and
carelessly taking up a volume of the GentlemarHs Magazine
of the year 1793, and running my eye for a few moments over
its pages without any definite object, my attention being on a
sudden fixed by the following anecdote. It will be found at
page 880 of that year: —
' " . . . . While I extol the bravery of the Guards, let
the Line have the merit due to them, which, at least, I will
say nothing can exceed. As a single instance I must just
mention a spirited reply of an officer, in the West Indies last
war, to Sir William Medows. Captain G  , of the 55th
Regiment, being wounded in the eye at the taking of St.
Lucia, Sir William, passing by in the heat of action, just
stopped to regret his misfortune. ' Do not mind me, sir,'
says he. ' I have one eye left, with which I hope to see you
beat the French array.' Such a speech, made by one in ex
cruciating pain, deserves to be recorded."
' The blank following the initial to the name I was happily
at no loss to fill up, and busied myself, con amore, in copying
off the passage. The pleasurable feeling of a youth of sixteen,
excited by accidentally stumbling upon such a memento, will
be easily understood.'
The esteem in which he was held by his superiors may he
appreciated from the following letter from Sir Charles Grey
to Lord Amherst : —
Sir Charles Grey to Lord Amherst.
' Fort Bourbon : March 25, 1794.
' Sir, — I have another recommendation to offer, to which I
solicit your Lordship's attention most earnestly, being the par
ticular situation of Major William Gomm, of the 55th Regiment,
who was put in orders at Barbadoes by the Honourable Major-
General Bruce on June 20, 1793, as lieutenant-colonel com
mandant of a corps of French emigrants, and did duty as such,
but has never been confirmed at home.

J5T. 9.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 25
' I can assure your lordship that he is an officer of infinite
merit, being also deputy-adjutant-general to the forces in the
West Indies, and six years in the rank of major. At the time of
my embarking on this expeditioti, I found the situation iu which
T was to leave Barbadoes required an officer of great experience,
activity, and ability, as well as of local knowledge of this
service ; and knowing Major Gomm to answer this description,
I appointed him to the command at Barbadoes, although he
wished to have come on this expedition, in which difficult
situation he has acquitted himself most admirably, and fully
answered my expectation, having had near 1,200 sick, with all
the women and children, under his management, besides the
care of forwarding the recovered men, all kinds of stores, etc.,
to the army. I then promised him that I would represent his
claims and merit to your lordship, for his Majesty's considera
tion, to obtain for him the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel
from June 20, 1793, when he was promoted by the Honour
able Major-General Bruce ; and it will be a high gratification
to me if his Majesty should be pleased to confer the favour
of lieutenant-colonel's rank on him from the date above-
mentioned. (Signed) 'Ch. Grey.'
He was lieutenant-colonel in the 55th Regiment, when
he was killed while still serving under Sir Charles Grey at the
storming of Point-^-Petre in the island of Guadeloupe on July
2, 1794. At the time of his death his wife and four children
were in England, and Sir William Gomm records that it is
stated in his father's last letter that : —
' Through Sir Charles Grey's regard for him, and under a
lively sense of obligation — personal obligation to him, he,
unsolicited, availed himself of his privilege of presenting my
father with an ensign's commission for myself. Through
Colonel Fisher's zealous intervention, although not improbably
in equal measure from his own kind impulse, he appointed
Henry to an ensigncy in the 6th Regiment shortly after my
father's demise.
' But these appointments, to be confirmed, needed a higher

26 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1794.
sanction from home, and not only their confirmation was
needed, but a steady protection from the highest quarter from
assaults not unreasonably urged from time to time against the
retainers of appointments, the active duties of which they were
incapacitated as yet, through extreme youth, from fulfilling.
Indeed, we both engaged in these as early as most youths have
done, similarly circumstanced ; but, as I have ' already said,
our position in the interim required a warm and earnest pro
tection ; and we found it all in the full heart and paternal
consideration of the good Duke of York ; and not only so, but
in grateful memory of our father's services, he scrupled not to
confer a like mark of favour upon little Richard several years
before he died.'
The military careers of the three little brother ensigns, so
uniformly begun, were eventually as diverse as is possible.
Richard died in 1801, aged fourteen years, almost before he
could have begun to learn his drill. Henry rose in the 6th
Regiment, and served in Canada and through the greater part
of the Peninsular campaign with his regiment; in July 1813
he had for a time temporary command of his regiment in the
Pyrenees, and, as his brother's diary says, ' he proved his
title to it in every way. I received many letters from his
friends when I was before Sebastian, informing me of all that
had taken place ; all giving me the best consolation a soldier
ought, perhaps, to require on such an occasion. He was
wounded, and fell at the head of his regiment encouraging his
men.' That division of the army under Sir Rowland Hill, being
hard pressed by the French, were retreating, and Henry
Gomm insisted on being brought away with the retreating
army, although General Hill had left with him a recommenda
tion to the French general as honourable to himself as to
Henry Gomm. In spite of his wounds, as soon as he heard
the army was about again to advance, he left Bilbao and
rejoined his regiment, although the weather was then most
inclement in the Pyrenees ; but his exhausted condition did
not permit him to remain there long, and he was compelled to

iET. 9.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 27
forego the chances of distinction and promotion which then
appeared just within his reach. For three long years he re
mained alive in great suffering and in enfeebled health, latterly
travelling in the south of Europe, accompanied by his brother
William. At last, on their way to Geneva, he died at Pont
de Beauvoisin, on December 5, 1816, aged thirty. His brother
removed the body to Geneva, and buried him in the cemetery
of Plein Palais, where a marble monument still marks the
spot. William was the eldest of the three brothers, and his name
remained on the Array List till 1875. What a singular con
trast to the fate of his two brother ensigns, one of whom did
not live beyond boyhood, the other who died in his early man
hood ! — whereas William attained every distinction that
the army had to offer, occupying the highest commands, and
died full of age and honour, in full possession of all his facul
ties to the last — eighty-one years after he had, with his little
brothers, received his first commission in the array.
Some of the newspapers which, on his installation as Con
stable of the Tower of London in 1872, gave a brief summary
of his career, were quite incredulous when recording from the
Army List the date of his commission, and Sir William himself
wrote in the margin that it was accounted for by the incidents
narrated in the despatch of Sir Charles Grey from Berville
Camp recording the death of his father Colonel Gomm at the
battle of Point-a-Petre, in consequence of which a benign
Government had given comraissions to the three orphaned
sons of an officer of high rank who fell in battle.
After their mother's death in 1796 the children were under
the care of their father's sister. Miss Jane Gomm. This lady,
and her raost intiraate friend. Miss Martha Caroline Golds-
worthy, the sister of General Goldsworthy, aide-de-camp to His
Majesty George III., were associated as sub-governesses to
the princesses the daughters of George III. and Queen
Charlotte. The care and education of the three younger
children, viz. the Princesses Mary, Sophia, and Amelia,
fell almost entirely to the lot of Miss Gomm, who, until her

28 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1799.
death in 1822, retained the affection and esteem, not of her
pupils only, but of all the Royal Family. After the death of
her sister-in-law, Mrs. William Gomm, in 1796, she assumed
the charge of the orphan children, and filled for them a
mother's part. She was a lady of exalted piety, and possessed
a powerful mind, richly stored with sound learning.
It is doubtless to her estimable training that William
Gomm owed that good education and genuine piety which
were so marked in the boy officer, whose schooling lasted
only till his fifteenth year.
The kindly feeling exhibited by the Royal Family to Miss
Goran- and her nephews is shown by the fact that William
Goram received his first sword from the hands of H.R.H. the
Princess Mary, while many pieces of plate, still retained in
the family, were gifts to Miss Gomm from different members
of the Royal Family.
William Maynard Gomm, then not quite ten years of age,
was in 1794 gazetted ensign in the 9th Regiment, and in 1795
a lieutenant ; he, however, remained at Woolwich prosecuting
his studies for sorae years, but in the summer of 1799 the
British Ministry came to a resolution to send an army into
Holland, in order to drive out the French and to overturn
the Republican Government which the French had set
up, and to bring the country once raore under the dominion
of the House of Orange. An arrangement for this purpose
was raade with the Emperor Paul I. of Russia, who, in
consideration of a large subsidy from England, furnished
some 18,000 men, while the English were to supply a con
tingent about half that number, and to support the com
bined forces with their fleet. The 9th was one of the regi
ments selected to go, and William Gomm, who heard of this
while working in the Military Academy, became most anxious
that the leave which enabled him to be absent from the regi
ment and to attend the Academy should not, as his friends
proposed, be extended, but that he should be allowed to go
with his regiment on service. His letter to his aunt, Miss
Gomm, on the subject is full of youthful enthusiasm.

J5T. 14.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 29
To Miss Gomm, Queens Lodge, Windsor.
' 'Woolwich : July 8, 1799.
' Dear Aunt, — I have heard that the 9th Regiment is
ordered to go upon the expedition, and is now at Southampton.
I am very much afraid Colonel Fisher' will find means to get
rae further leave of absence, therefore I cannot help troubling
you with another letter to beg you when you write to him to
say that he will make me the happiest being alive by letting
me go with it. If he does not grant me this request, I
assure you it will quite dishearten me, and render me totally
indifferent whether I join it soon or late. I know your kind
ness, and am afraid you are averse to my going ; but if my
happiness is in the least to be regarded, pray gratify me in
this one desire, and I shall look upon it as the greatest kind
ness you can do me. I shall never have the least inclination
to go on with my studies here, not through obstinacy (for I
hope I shall never be so ungrateful as to forget that iny
friends' kindness is the sole motive of their endeavouring to
get me leave of absence), but through disappointment; for I
have fixed my mind upon joining my regiment when this last
leave is expired, and I am still more desirous now of going as
the regiment is appointed for the expedition : not that I think
I shall be of any service, for that is out of the question ; but
that I may learn to be of service, if possible, some future day.
But if my friends insist upon my remaining at Woolwich, and
succeed in endeavouring to get me further leave, I shall of
course be obliged to comply. I shall thank them sincerely
for their attention to me, but I shall be unhappy. The 55 th
Regiment ^ is also going on the expedition. I was very agree
ably surprised yesterday by a visit from Mr. Philpot. He
took me out to dinner with him. I told him that the 9th was
ordered on the expedition, and that I intended writing to you.
' In his mother's will Colonel Fisher is named as one of the executors and
guardians of the children, -with Miss Jane Gomm and the Eev. William Gomm.
^ This was his father's old regiment. It, however, did not go on this occasion
to Holland.

30 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1799
He begged me to let him know how it was to be settled as
soon as I could. I suppose you know that my aunt and Miss
Philpot are at Southampton. I beg you will excuse me
sending you this second letter, but I am quite upon the fidgets
to know whether you and Colonel Fisher and some other good
folks will be so merciful as to grant my request. I hope
you and Sophia continue in good health. Pray let me know
as soon as you can whether you are merciful. With love to
Sophia, I remain, dear Aunt,
' Your dutiful and affectionate Nephew,
(Signed) 'W. M. Gomm.
' If Colonel Fisher asks whether I am willing to join my
regiment now, as he did in April, pray tell him I shall be un
happy if 1 do not.' ' Woolwich : July 26, 1799.
' Dear Au'nt, — Words are too weak to express the happi
ness which your letter has given me. A sudden dread struck
me when I received it. I knew it was either to make me happy
or wretched ; but when I read Colonel Fisher's determination
I was something more than happy. I shall have a still greater
regard for him, and all my fnends if possible, than I had be
fore for this last kindness to rae. You have been the chief
instrument in it, and I shall remember it as long as I live.
Colonel Benson came to Woolwich last Sunday. He called
upon me, but unluckily I was not at home. He wrote on
Monday to one of the officers whom he saw the day before,
and desired him to tell me that he had heard from you ; that
you had been so kind as to inform him of my desire for join
ing my regiment, and that he would endeavour to have my
wishes gratified.
' I heard this morning from my uncle. He goes into Wales
on Thursday next, and wishes to see me on Monday in Ken-
nington Road (where, 1 suppose, you know he is) if con
venient. My masters have given me permission, provided I
return as soon as I can, as I have so short a time to stay. I
shall have an opportunity of calling upon Colonel Benson.
I feel extremely obliged to all who are so kind as to be in-

J3T. 14.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 3 1
forested about me, but I cannot help hoping my regiment may
go abroad. It certainly will if there is no further alteration,
as it is among the list of those who are to go ; and it is to be
completed with militia. I am very well aware of the fatigues
and dangers which are likely to occur ; but believe me, when
1 assure you that my attachment to the service shall enable
me to surmount the former, great as they may be, and my
duty to my king and country shall never let me shrink from
the latter. I am rewarded by being in the service, and
surely the utmost in my power is not too much. If I am to
return, I shall enjoy the comfortable reflection " that I have
done my duty "; if I fall, I shall at least fall gloriously —
which always has been and always will be the summit of my
desires. ' But think not that whilst I strive to discharge my
military duties I shall forget my religious ones. I have always
thought that he who observes the former and disregards the
latter is at best but a civilised brute. He who wishes to be
styled " a great man " must, in my opinion, look upon his
religion as the foundation of his greatness. Courage, humanity,
clemency, and all other virtues that constitute the " hero "
will necessarily follow. The character of Roll a in " Pizarro "
(which I suppose you have read) is that which I should choose
to follow. I can never enough admire it. I have troubled you
with a great number of letters lately, but I believe I need not
beg you to excuse me. Now that you have made me happy
1 shall not be so troublesome. Every day till I join my
regiment will appear to me almost a week. I hope you and
Sophia are both quite well. Pray give my love to Sophia,
and tell her I thank her very much for her wishing me to stay
at home, but I must be a soldier as well as a brother. It is
now time for me to conclude, with assuring you that I remain,
dear Aunt, ' Your dutiful and affectionate Nephew,
' Wm. Gomm.' '
• All letters which are not entered as being written to others, are addressed to
his sister Sophia.

32 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1799.
Sir William Gomm's attachment to the 9th Regiment con
tinued to the end of his life. In 1872, when his old friend
and former aide-de-camp, Sir Henry Bates, was given the
regiment, he received the following note ' : —
' My much-esteemed and regarded successor to the
colonelcy of the corps which called itself, and with universal
acclaim frora without, in my juvenile days " The Old Ninth,"
pray accept the united congratulations of Lady Gomm and
myself on the appointment.
' For " auld lang syne " I feel tempted to send you a few
notes of my own debut under the same august banner, copied
verbatim from my journals of the period (aetat. 14).
'"August 13, 1799.— Joined the 1st Battalion 9th Regi
ment, encamped on Barbara Downs, as lieutenant.
' " September 13. — Sailed for Holland. 16. — Landed at
the Helder. 19. — Battle of Bergen and the Sandhills.
' " October 2. — Do., do., before Alkmaar.
' " October 28. — Adventuring homeward again ; landing at
Yarmouth." ' The regiment enjoyed also the cognomen of " The Holy
Boys " — an addition of doubtful origin, however : tradition
tracing it on one side to a liberal distribution of " the best of
books " among the men by their exemplary commandant and
lady ; ironically obtained, I fear, on the other by the prodigal
sale of these goods presently after in exchange for creature
comforts by the graceless recipients.
' Again, every paladin of the corps in ray time was very
proud of the figure of Britannia (see " Hart's Army List ")
reposing on the breast of each, melodiously chimed upon and
the lay entered, I believe, in its archives by some lady pre
sumably young, regrettably before my time.
' When you go to inaugurate your accession to the throne
of the 9th, I ho[)e you will inquire of the elders of the corps,
for my especial satisfaction, how far these titles of honour have
been preserved in the family.
' I nm indebted to -the kindness of Sir Henry Bates for this interesting and
characteristic note.

AT. 14,] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 33
' Lady Gomm unites with me, my dear Bates, in subscribing
myself, as of old, ' Most sincerely yours,
' W. M. Gomm.'
In the next letter to his aunt, dated Barbara Downs,
September 9, 1799, he says: —
' As I think it will give you pleasure to hear that I have
seen Sir Charles Grey, 1 send you a few lines to inform you
that I called upon him a few days ago. He was excessively
kind to me, and invited me to dine with him yesterday, which
I did. I had the honour of being introduced to Prince WiU
liara of Gloucester, who inquired very kindly after Henry,
and wished to see him if he could go over to Deal before
H.R.H. embarked, which, however, I am afraid he cannot do,
as the Prince it is supposed embarks to-day. The Duke of
York embarked yesterday evening.
' I hope now that I shall go over as a lieutenant, as I have
heard nothing further about it since I received your letter,
We were in hopes that we should have left Barbara Downs
last night at twelve o'clock. We are now in hourly expecr-
tation of departing, and are only waiting for the transports.
I may not be able to write to you again before I am trans
ported. Colonel Fisher has been at Barbara Downs, and I am
now provided with everything necessary. He does not go
with us, being in the 3rd Battalion. We are all going ou
very well here, and are only wishing to face the enemy. . . .
You probably know that General Manners commands the 2nd
Battalion of the 9th, and is now with us. . . .
' Pray give my best love to Sophia, and tell ' r she shall
hear some Dutch when I return from Holland.'
Previous to this, in August, the first division of the
English force, under Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Abercromby,
had landed in Holland, and had effected their landing in spite
of the opposition of the Dutch under General Daendelg ; and
the Dutch fleet, under Vice- Admiral Storz, had surrendered
at the Texel to Admiral Mitchell. The British thus having

34 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1799.
the free navigation of the Zuyder Zee were enabled to estab
lish themselves on the peninsula of the Helder, having the
town of Schagenburg as headquarters ; while the Dutch
troops were concentrated between Rustenberg and the Koe
Dyke ; and the French troops, hitherto stationed in the pro
vince of Zealand, were directed to move towards Haarlem.
Such was the position of the hostile armies in the beginning
of September ; Sir Ralph Abercromby acting on the defensive
and waiting for the Russians and for the British reinforce
ments under the Duke of York, who was to take the supreme
command. General Daendels had been unsuccessful in his
attempts to force the British position, and on his part was
looking for French reinforcements.
It was on September 12 that the Russian contingent,
7,000 strong, under the command of Lieut.-General D'Her-
mann, arrived at the Helder from Revel, and were at once
disembarked and marched down to strengthen the right of the
position ; while on the following day his Royal Highness the
Duke of York and Lieut.-General Dundas also landed at the
Helder from the Amethyst frigate, being followed in a few days
by the third and last division of British troops, consisting of
eleven battalions of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, the 7th
Light Dragoons, and a body of artillery. The infantry had em
barked at Deal, to which place they had marched from the
camp at Barbara Downs. After disembarking at the Helder
these troops marched up to Schagenburg, where the men were
quartered in the churches and the officers billeted on the
private houses. The newly arrived regiments were brigaded
as follows : —
7th Brigade, under Major-General the Earl of Chatham.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd battalions 4th King's Own, and the 31st
Regiment. 8th Brigade, under Major-General H.R.H. Prince William
of Gloucester. 1st and 2nd battalions of the 5th, and 1st and
2nd battalions of the 35th Regiments.
9th Brigade, under Major-General Manners. The 1st
and 2nd battalions 9th Regiment, and the 56th .Regiment.

.MT. 14. J Sir William Maynard Gomm. 35
The 9th Regiment, which had come in the autumn
from Grenada, had received 2,695 volunteers frora the
Gloucester and other Militia corps in the vicinity of London,
and had been fotraed into three battalions, one of which had
been left in England. William Gomm was attached to the
1st battalion. Two flank battalions, one of ten companies of
Grenadiers, and the other of Light Infantry, under Lieut. -
Colonel Shairpe, of the 9th, had been formed before leaving
Barham Downs.
The Cavalry were under command of Lieut.-Colonel
Paget, and consisted of his own regiment, the 7th Dragoons,
the 11th Light Dragoons, under Lieut.-Colonel Childers, and
two squadrons of the 18th, in all about 1,200 sabres.
The position of the allied British and Russian army thus
reinforced was considerably extended, the Russians being on
the right, while the position frora which the Duke of York
had to drive the eheray was one of no ordinary strength ; their
left wing, composed entirely of French troops under General
Vandamme, was strongly posted on the first ridge of the lofty,
sandhills known as the Heights of Camperdurger, whence it
was expected that our right would dislodge them, aud would
be able to occupy Bergen, a considerable village in the
Nassau Principality, four miles north-west of Alkmaar,
Manners' brigade supported the Russians. The battle com
menced on the early morning of September 1 9 ; and the Russian
attack was at first brilliantly successful, the enemy being driven
back into Bergen, and Manners' brigade advancing to SchoreL
dam ; at Bergen, however, the enemy being reinforced, rallied,
and in their turn beat back the Russians. It w^s at this
juncture, when the fugitive Russians from Bergen appeared
outside Schorel, the French following close after them, and
when after a last effort to stand they were driven pell
mell into and out of the village, that the 9th Brigade,
under Major-General Manners, advancing by the road from
Schoreldara, engaged the French, and an obstinate encounter
took place. The 1st Brigade, under Prince William of
Gloucester, and the Guards, brought up by the Duke of York,

36 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1799.
came up in support of Manners, but they were eventually
obliged to retreat, which they did in an orderly manner —
guns, ammunition, waggons, and wounded being brought off
in the face of the enemy. The other wing, under Lieut.-
General Sir James Pulteney, was successful in defeating
General Daendels; but the ill- success of the right wing
rendered it impossible for the Duke of York to profit by this
success, and it may therefore be said that no result whatever
was obtained from the thirteen and a half hours' incessant
fighting which constituted the battle of Bergen. That was
indeed no child's play when the young William Gomm, a boy
of only fourteen, received his 'baptism of fire.' Out of the
Gallo-Batavian army on that day some 2,000 of all ranks
were killed and wounded, while the loss of the British and
Russian troops was equally severe — of the former nearly 1,500,
including forty-nine officers, and of the latter 3,000 were killed,
wounded, and missing.
By the official return the loss on that day in the 9th
Regiment was as follows : —
1st battalion — 1 subaltern, 1 staff killed; 3 subalterns
wounded ; 10 sergeants, 1 drummer, 203 rank and file
missing. 2nd battalion — 1 captain, 1 sergeant, 16 rank and file
killed ; 1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 subaltern, 4 sergeants, 46 rank
and file wounded ; 1 sergeant, 97 rank and file missing.
His diary of the events of the time is as follows : —
' Sept. 18, 1799. — At ten o'clock at night the two battalions
of the 9th marched, according to orders, towards the villages
of Schorel and Schoreldam, where the French had intrenched
themselves, and arrived at the post occupied by the Russians,
close to the village above-named, at about two o'clock in the
morning of the 19th, after a march of about fourteen miles.
Here we halted.
' Sept. 19. — At daybreak, about 3 a.m., the Russians began
the attack upon the village of Schorel, and after a pretty
obstinate resistance drove the enemy from thence. The two
battalions of the 9th advanced gradually in the rear of the
Russians, joined by the 56th Regiment, under the command

JET. 14.] Sir Vl^illiam Maynard Gomm. 2>7
of Major-General Manners, being the brigade destined to the
Reserve of the Russians that day. About 6 a.m. the 9th and
56th Regiments mounted the sandhills behind the village of
Schorel in order to drive from thence any enemy that might
remain in that part. Having met with none, we descended
from the hills, and everything seemed again perfectly quiet.
We marched through the village of Schorel and marched on
to the plain, when the enemy opened a very heavy fire of
musketry and grape upon us. The Russians were now gone
off in different directions, and consequently the brigade, con
sisting of the two battalions of the 9th and the 56th Regiments,
was at this time engaged alone ; the two battalions of the 9th
being each about 600 men, and the 56th Regiment about the
sarae number. For about two hours the heaviest fire of
musketry possible was kept up on both sides, the British
advancing by degrees, but not very regularly ; the plain being
intersected every twenty yards nearly with small canals, many
of which could not be passed without wading through, being
too wide to leap, and at the same time very deep. At length
the British advanced with the bayonet. The enemy were
unwilling to stand the charge, and retreated very precipitately
through Schoreldara, which they were obliged to evacuate, the
English still advancing, but in the greatest disorder ; for being
very much fatigued by the night march, and still more so by
the former part of the action, most of the troops were scarcely
able to walk. We were therefore ordered not to advance any
farther, but to form in the plain between Schorel and Schorel
dam, where the action had commenced.
' We remained here about half an hour, when we received
intelligence that the enemy were at that time in the very same
part of the sandhills behind Schorel where we had been
searching for them before we entered into the action on the
plain, so that they could never have been driven completely
from the sandhills, but must have been in sorae part of them
even at the time we were searching for them.
' Upon this intelligence we were obliged to march against
them immediately, notwithstanding our fatigue, to prevent

38 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1799.
being cut off, for they were then getting in our rear. We got
up the hills as quickly as possible, and the enemy immediately
opened a fire upon us from all sides. The enemy's riflemen
had got into the woods about Schorel, and by that means fired
upon our officers and men on the hills without being themselves
seen or exposed.
' The Russians were now returned to our assistance, but
our numbers were even then far inferior to those of the enemy,
who were now stronger than ever. Had our numbers been
known, it is generally believed that we should have been made
prisoners, but we were so dispersed about the hills that it was
impossible for the enemy to judge of our strength. For about
two hours and a half an unceasing fire of musketry was kept
up. The enemy had several pieces of cannon upon the hills,
with which they played upon us during the whole tirae. By this
time it was nearly one o'clock. Great numbers of our men
began to want ammunition. W^e were ordered to descend from
the hills and rally once raore, deterraining to make another
vigorous attempt to drive the enemy frora the woods and hills.
H.R.H. Prince William of Gloucester had now joined us with
the 1st battalion of the 35th Regiment. A battalion of the
Guards also arrived and advanced upon the sandhills. The 2nd
battalion of the 9th, the 1st battalion of the 35th, and the 56th
Regiments, after having formed a continued line, began a
vigorous fire upon the enemy in the woods, and in a short time
drove them a considerable distance along the hills and woods.
The Guards lost great numbers upon the hills. Small parties
of the Russians were still with us upon the hills. The firing
continued till four o'clock, great slaughter being made on both
sides. The enemy had now been able to make a stand for the
space of about two hours. Nearly the whole of our ammu
nition was now exhausted, and numbers of our troops being
absolutely useless from the excessive fatigues of the day, at
about 4.30 p.m. a general retreat was made. While we were
retiring a body of the enemy's Hussars came up with the rear
of the 9th Regiment (for we happened to be hindmost of those
who retreated on that side). They cut down and took

XT. 14. J Sir William Maynard Gomm. 39
prisoners a few stragglers, but advanced no farther, being
unwilling to encounter our Dragoons. The whole of the army
took up their former position as soon as possible. Part of the
9th returned to their quarters at Grotskerk the same night.
The remainder went only as far as Petten that night. Both
our battalions lost nearly the same nuraber in killed and
prisoners, our whole loss consisting of about 370 men, or per
haps more.'
The noticeable feature in this diary is, that though it was
the young writer's first practical experience of soldiering and
fighting, there is no personal allusion, but a broad, general,
and sensible view of the day's action ; and this perfect absence
of egotism characterised all his military writings.
The boy's own account of this affair in his letter to his
aunt, written in the following week, is also singularly fresh and
characteristically modest. ' Zante: September 28, 1799.
' Mt dear Aunt, — I am afraid you have long been ex
pecting to hear from me, but it has been quite impossible for
me to write before. We landed at Helder the 16th of this
month, and marched forwards immediately into cantonments.
On the 19th the Russians began the attack upon the French,
intrenched in several small villages before Alkmaar, at three
o'clock in the morning. General Manners' brigade, consisting
of the 9th and 56th Regiments of Foot, was not engaged till
about six o'clock the sarae raorning, having a raarch of fifteen
railes to effect before we reached the enemy. We drove the
French from the villages, but they knowing the several roads
and passages retreated to some very extensive sandhills
behind us, by which they kept us at bay, and being reinforced
made a dreadful havoc amongst us. We continued in this
manner from about eleven till four o'clock, when, for want of
amraunition and fresh reinforcements, we were obliged to
retreat. The 9th and 56th have received all the thanks from
H.R.H. the Commander-in-Chief due to their distinguished
activity and exertions that day. In the beginning of the

40 The Earlier Letters aiid Journals of [1799.
action the Russians behaved with the greatest intrepidity, but
in the latter part, being very much weakened and fatigued,
they for the most part quitted the field, and for a long time
the 9th and 56th were the only regiments that faced the enemy.
Such is the sketch of the affairs of this horrid day. The 9th
has suffered considerable loss, both in men and officers ; the
first battalion, which was 800 strong, is now scarcely 400. I -
had the honour of being in the advanced guard, and was
engaged the first. I was prepared to die, and assure you that
I had so raade up ray mind to every undertaking that I felt
as cool and cheerful as ever I did in ray life. The fear of
death shall never move me, but the sight of the brave fellows
who sank by ray side in defence of their King and country
was almost too much for me. I cannot express to you what I
felt. Colonel De Berniere and Major Gore have proved them
selves true friends to me. They have applied to H.R.H. the
Duke of York to get rae a captain-lieutenancy, which I under
stand H.R.H. has been graciously pleased to grant. I have
not yet received my commission, and I suppose I have notyet
been gazetted. Scarcely any of our officers escaped without
some slight hurt, and many were killed. A bullet just grazed
the corner of my left eye near the beginning of the engage
ment; it gave me a little headache, but I soon found it was
but a scratch. It is now quite well, and there is not even the
least mark remaining, which I am very sorry for. I do not
mind how many wounds I receive nor how I am disfigured,
so as it is all in front. I suppose it was the enchanted sword
that saved me. It will not be so elegant when H.R.H. the
Princess Mary sees it again as when I had the honour of re
ceiving it from her, but I trust it will not have beeu disgraced.
Our most experienced officers confess that they never were in
a more obstinate engagement, nor where they experienced
more personal danger. I never thought I could have borne
the fatigue I did that day.' To render it still more dis
agreeable, it rained most part of the time. We are now can-
' In a memorandum written in after-life, I find it stated that so great was his
fatigue that he slept for thirty hours after the battle.

jet. 14.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 41
toned in the little village of Zante. We live upon beef and
mutton, and so cheap that we cannot spend our pay. We
shall all return quite rich. The French are now intrenched
upon the sandhills behind the villages of Schoreldam and
[torn], where we engaged thera before. A general attack is
to be raade upon them in a day or two. May Heaven afford
rae sufficient strength to assist my desires ! This is all I ask.
I will write to you after we have beat the rascals. I hope
Sophia and yourself are in good health. Sophia, I dare say,
will be very inquisitive about the battle, but pray tell her that
when I return she shall know all about it. We embarked at
Deal ; and I, unluckily, had not an Opportunity of seeing my
brothers. I hope my next letter will be from Alkmaar. I
wish I could see some old newspapers when I return, to find
what account they give of our adventures here. I intend to
keep a journal of all the principal occurrences during the
campaign. ' And believe me, my dear aunt,
' Your dutiful and affectionate nephew,
'W. M. Gomm.
'P.S. I have just learnt that the captain-lieutenancy has
been given to a very old lieutenant in the 56th Regiment, but
that the next vacancy I shall certainly have it. I am not at all
disappointed, knowing that the promotion has been given to a
much more experienced officer than myself. There will be
many more opportunities.'
What a model letter for the young soldier to have written
in the midst of the discomforts of camp- life I
On October 2 another battle was fought at Alkmaar, and the
Gallo-Batavian array was driven back. The 9th Regiment was
not, however, actively engaged on that day, having been em
ployed as a reserve to the main body under Sir Ralph Aber
cromby. The obstinate nature of that engagement is shown by
the heavy return of killed and wounded in the 92nd Regiment
alone, 1 colonel, 5 captains, 8 subalterns, 9 sergeants, and 268
rank and file being killed and wounded. Nor in the engagement

42 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1799.
near Egmont, on October 6, was the 9th Regiment actively
engaged. On October 18 the Duke of York effected a conven
tion with the enemy, engaging to retire from the Helder im
mediately, and to give up all the prisoners and guns which had
been taken during the campaign. An armistice was concluded,
and the whole of the British and Russian forces, together with
the Dutch loyalist deserters, left the coast oi the Batavian
Republic and returned to England. 'Helder: October 19, 1799.
' My dear Aunt,— I have at length found an opportunity
of writing to you, which I have often wished for since my last
letter, but have not till now been able to attain. You must
be acquainted with all the particulars of our proceedings since
our landing, and therefore it will be needless to give any ac
count of them.
' Since September 19 the 9th has not been engaged, though
we have often been upon the point of going into action. We
are now encamped close to Helder, for the purpose of assisting
in raising some works begun here. From the appearance of
things at present, we shall soon see old England again, I
believe. You need not doubt me when I say I shall be happy,
but I confess that if we had been more successful I had rather
have gone forward, and had a few more scuffles before I re
turned. If we return, I hope at least our brigade may cover
the retreat, that we raay smell gunpowder once more. I have
not time to send you a long letter, but can only say that I am
as well as it is possible to be, and that I like my profession if
possible better every day. I have heard frora my brother.
Henry asks rae whether I have yet been in battle ! I hope you
and Sophia are both well, and that you received ray last letter
of the 2 1st of last month. I am afraid this wanting is scarcely
legible, but I ara so cold in my tent that I can scarcely hold
my pen. I hope I shall see all my friends soon, but I am
quite prepared to go where the regiment is ordered.'
It was, however, on the previous day that the convention
had been finally concluded at Alkmaar, and hostilities entirely

iET. 14.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 43
ceased. The 9th Regiment embarked on October 25, and on
the 28th landed at Yarmouth and marched to Norwich.
Thus, before he was fifteen years of age, he was back again
in England, ' an old soldier,' with the experiences of a campaign
hard-fought and not Inglorious, even though not actually suc
cessful, nor definite in its results.
Looking back over his boyish journal, some years after
wards, he writes the following ' Recollection of Septeraber 19,
1799':— ' The spell of parted years is on my dream,
And hazards, more intense than wont to live
In boyhood's chronicle, around me gleam :
And, for the stripling's jocund narrative
Of perils wag'd around some rifled hive
Or ambush 'scaped of pedagogue in arms,
Mine breathes of host's array, and memory warms
With her first glance on lists where nations strive.
Hymn ' of the Muscovite ! that roused the morn,
Thou wert a stern and awful orison
On my boy-ear : — and dread, ye echoes ! borne
Upon the breezes of the coming day :
Dread, but exalting : — and my musings run
Back upon those throng'd hours, nor wake dismay.
' W. M. G., 1836.'
Apamphlet, written ' by a subaltern,' called 'The Campaign
in Holland In 1799,' and published in 1861, to which I am
indebted for some of the above details, thus sums up the con
clusion of the expedition : —
' On their return home the thanks of Parliament were voted
to VIce-Admiral Mitchell, Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Aber
cromby, and the officers and men employed under them ; and
' At the battle of Bergen, or of the Sandhills, as it is sometimes called, fought
Tinder the Duke of York in Holland, the Russians advanced their batteries through
the deep and difficult ground, with their characteristic energy, to the attack of the
French intrenchments at daybreak, as is their custom, with hymns and inspiriting
choruses, and worthily emulated the recent successes of SouvarofF in Italy, in the
intrepidity of their first assault. Not so in their conduct after success — they dis-
per.sed to plunder, and were in their turn routed presently after ; and the British
Brigade, under General Manners, appointed as their sustaining force, bore the
brunt of the conflict through the remainder of the day, till reinforced by the
Guards and other portions of the line.

44 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [i79,9.
on January 9, 1800, the former was invested with the Order of
the Bath. The city of London also voted their thanks to the
Admiral and General, and presented each with a sword, valued
at 100 guineas. These honours were certainly well deserved,
as, although the expedition failed to accomplish its principal
objects, which were for the army to overrun Holland, threaten
the French on the Mouse and the Rhine, and after causing a
rising in Belgium to carry the war into the northern provinces
of France, yet the capture of the Dutch fleet at the Helder was
achieved, whereby their marine was almost annihilated, the
projects of France disconcerted, and the necessity of maintain
ing a large squadron in the North Sea for the blockade of the
Texel obviated. The principal reasons for the ill-success which
subsequently befell it were the extreme tardiness of the first
operation, caused by the landing of the troops in successive
divisions, and the refusal of the Dutch people, of whose willing
ness to assist the army great expectations had been entertained,
to favour its operations in any way whatever. As for the
British public, they completely overlooked the success of our navy
at the Texel, and clamoured loudly at what they considered the
inadequate results of an expedition which had cost them so
dear, both in men and money; and in Parliament, the orators
of the Opposition bitterly censured the Ministry, both for the
motives which had prompted the expedition and the manner in
which it was conceived.'

^T. 15.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 45

CHAPTER in.
1800-1805.
Coast of Portugal — Vigo Bay — Gibkaltak — Lisbon — Retuen Home —
Aide-de-Camp to Genekal Commanding N.W. District — Ireland-
Joins Staff College, High WycoMBB — Comes of Age— Correspond
ence with his Aunt.
Until the middle of the year 1800 the 9th Regiment was
quartered in Norwich, but In July they were ordered to em
bark on foreign service, which they did, not knowing their
destination. From, Diary.
' August 1, 1800. — Embarked on board the Brailsford
transport at Southampton.
' The regiments embarked are Major-General Manners'
Brigade — viz. the three battalions of the 9th Foot; Major-
General Coote's Brigade — viz. the 1 3th and 54th Regiments ;
Major-General Lord Cavan's Brigade, 79th and 52nd Regi
ments, together with the Royals and 27th Regiments, under
Major-General Morshead.' To his Aunt. 'Vigo Bay : August 30, 1800.
' This is the first opportunity I have had of writing
to you since I left England. We sailed from Southamp
ton on the 6th. On the 16 th we arrived at Quiberon Bay,
off the island of Belle Isle, with full expectation of
attacking it. This, however, we afterwards found was not
our" destination. We sailed from Quiberon on the 22nd, and
arrived on the Spanish coast, near Ferrol, on the 25th. Here
we landed the same day without opposition, except from a
small fort, which was soon silenced. We then advanced up

46 Tlie Earlier Letters and Journals of [I800,
the country as soon as we were landed towards Ferrol, which
was about six railes frora the shore. The rifle corps were
engaged a little in the evening, but very slightly. The in
tention in landing here was to get possession of six or seven
Spanish sail of the line in the harbour, which, they say, are
loaded with iramense treasure. We slept on our arms in the
night, and at about 5 a.m. a firing was commenced by the
Spanish. The 52nd and 79th Regiments were engaged, and,
I believe, another regiment or two, for about half an hour,
when the Spaniards retreated ; Indeed, there never were more
than a thousand of them together, so that you may easily
conceive the fire could not be very heavy. The 9th was not
actually engaged, though we were close In the rear ready to
blaze if required. I have not yet told you that this part of
the country is very hilly, indeed mountainous. Everything
was now done but the taking Fort St. Philip, a very strong
work, which prevented our men-of-war from sailing into the
harbour and attacking the shipping, as It commanded the
channel. To take the fort we only wanted to get our cannon
to bear upon It ; but to our great disappointment we found it
impossible to get it up the heights, so that all our plans were
frustrated. We were close to Ferrol the whole day, upon an
eminence which commanded the whole town. We were in
hopes of being able to storm the fort, but this was pronounced
impracticable by the engineers from its very strong situation.
It was a great disappointment to us when we reflected that
town, shipping, dollars, and everything else were ours if it had
been possible to bring our cannon into the country. Nothing
was now left but to relinquish our enterprise, and the troops
were re-embarked the same afternocn. Though the old 9th
have not an opportunity of being engaged yet, the 1st batta
lion had the honour of covering the retreat of the whole army.
We were left on the heights till the rest were embarked,
to resist the enemy should they atterapt to follow ; but the
poor fellows were very glad to let us off without any obstruc
tion ; indeed, I believe they would have lent us boats to row
us to our ships if it had been necessary. They seem to be

MT. 15.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 47
very poor soldiers; the French would have made it much
warmer work for us. We marched a single battalion six
miles along their country, and even saw thera on the adjacent
heights kindling their fires (for it was quite dark), and the
fellows Avere afraid to assault us in the least, when they might,
in our opinions, have cut us to pieces had they shown the least
spirit. I assure you we thought ourselves In a rauch more
disagreeable slLuation than they chose to raake it for us. Ou
the 27th we sailed frora Ferrol, aud are now in Vigo Bay.
The country is. Indeed, raore beautiful than I can describe It
to you. We are close in shore. We have heard this morning
that we are now going to Gibraltar, there to meet with Sir
Ralph Abercromby's army and to attack Cadiz. Another
report is that we are going to different parts of the Mediter
ranean. . . . The best direction I can give you is Lieut.-
General Sir James Pulteney's Floating Array, off the coast
of Spain. . . .'
The journal entries for some days are only ' at anchor In
Vigo Bay,' which is soon Increased by ' tired of Vigo Bay.'
On September 6 there was a violent hurricane,. in which
some of the vessels were driven ashore, but the Brailsford,
though she dragged her anchor, managed to hold, running foul
of a frigate or two.
The Brailsford sailed for the Straits of Gibraltar, and
anchored for some days at Tetuan Bay, on the Morocco
coast; and the diary records how, though forbidden to go
ashore on account of the ' plague,' the young officers ' used to
disguise ourselves as sailors when the boats go for water and
smuggle grapes, figs, fowls, and everything that we can catch
hold°of.' In the beginning of October they went across to Cadiz.
' October 5, 1800. — The ships belonging to Sir Ralph Aber
cromby's army, which did not join us at Tetuan, joined us in
coming through the Straits. We lay about two leagues off
the shore. Flags of truce are passing and repassing from the

4^ The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1800.
shore to our fleet during the whole day, but we can learn nothing
of the proceedings. We expect signals for landing every
moment. We hear to-day that General Manners is removed
from our brigade, which is a great disappointment, for we
hoped to be again on service with a comraanding officer who
had gained the love and esteem of his brigade. He sent us a
shoulder of mutton and six bottles of wine.'
The three battalions of the 9th Regiment were then put
under command of Major-General Fisher, and a general order
was issued by Sir James Pulteney on October 5 -detailing the
landing which was to be effected that night. The wind,
however, rose, and the surf was so high they were unable to
land, but had to put out again to sea. On October 12 they
were once more in Tetuan Bay, after encountering contrary
winds, as usual, in the Straits. The journal says : ' The old
tub Brailsford has the singular property of making about
twice as much leeway as headway.' They reraained off and
on at Tetuan till the end of the month.
' October 31. — Anchored in Gibraltar Bay, We understand
that the three battalions of the 9th are to go to Lisbon.
Several other regiments to go with us. The remainder to go,
under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby, up the Medi
terranean. We are perraitted to go ashore at Gibraltar, on
account of our having no sick, being the healthiest ship In the
fleet. ' November 1 . — Land this morning and see the guard mount.
We go round the works. Find the town a miserable hole.
They have no fresh provisions, on account of the plague
raging in Barbary, frora whence they get all their fresh pro
visions. We look upon ourselves as the luckiest fellows
existing in not reraaining here, which we had long been afraid
would have been the case.'
At the same time he writes to his aunt from Gibraltar,
showing how weary the troops were of doing nothing but
knocking about on board ship. He says : —
' I have been in as good health since I have been on

jet. 16.] Sir William Maynttrd Gomm. 49
board this " elegant ship," the Braihford, as ever I was In
my life, though, God knows, it is not from the comforts we
have enjoyed. If we were doing our country service in
lying on board transports in the manner we have done, that
alone would remove all the inconveniences we labour under.
We should then live sumptuously on salt junk ; but rolling
about In this way for no earthly purpose whatever, I own,
does not suit with my taste. However, I believe we shall
StiU remain loyal subjects. The array will not always be
lying on board transports. I hope for the credit of the
British army that something will soon be done worthy of them.
I am afraid that the business of Ferrol and other occurrences
are represented in a very disadvantageous light ; but, however,
I hope soon " you shall see what you shall see." We expect
to winter In Portugal — at least everybody tells us we shall.
We are all heartily glad that we are not destined to garrison
Gibraltar, which we were once afraid of. I have been told
that this is the place to make an officer, but at the same time
it is a bad place for a young officer. The field Is a much
better school for him than a garrison — as our colonel often
tells rae. The town is a wretched hole. They have scarcely
anything in it, having no intercourse with Barbary, from a
report that the plague rages there. Everything they have is
at an enormous price, and there is never any anausement for
an officer but gaming and drinking. We have some prospects
before us in going to Portugal ; we shall have everything in
plenty there, and raay see a little service.'
To his Aunt. 'Off Lisbon; November 14, 1800.
' In ray last letter from Gibraltar I told you we expected
to sail for Lisbon every hour, but we were obliged to go back
to Tetuan Bay again to get a supply of water. We sailed from
Tetuan on the 5th, and got in sight of the rock of Lisbon on
the 12th, with a fine breeze most of the tirae. On the 12th
the wind came against us, and separated the fleet, which con-
B

50 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isoo.
¦sisted of about twenty -five sail convoyed by a frigate. Yester
day a lugger hove in sight about 6 a.m. From her appear
ance we supposed her to be an enemy. There was only one
transport with us, so that we should cut a very poor figure
against a lugger, which in general carries heavy metal. She
hoisted English colours and passed us about twelve, though not
within gunshot. We did not admire her hoisting English
colours, which looked rather suspicious. She hovered round us
some tirae, and at last went out to sea, when we perceived that
she took down all her sails and put up fresh ones, which gave
her quite a different appearance. This confirraed us In our
opinion that she had some evil designs, and we expected a visit
from her in the night. About four o'clock a pilot came on
board us, who said she was a Spaniard, who had been cruising
off Lisbon for three or four days past. Upon this we prepared
ourselves as well as we could, resolved to do our best, and
stand out to the last. During the whole fourteen weeks we
have been at sea, we have been generally separated from the
rest of the fleet off the Spanish coast, for we are one of the
slowest sailers in the fleet. After having been so long exposed
to the mercy of any enemy that chose to appear. It would be
hard indeed to be taken in sight of Lisbon, where we expected
our cruise would be at an end. Tbe evening was very dark,
so that it was difficult to perceive a ship unless very near.
About 8 P.M. the lugger passed close across our bows, with
the intention we suppose of seeing what we were. We deter
mined the next time she came near us to fire into her, and find
out what she was, but we did not see her afterwards. Most
likely seeing us to be a troopship, she did not like attacking us
as she would perhaps lose a number of men, and could not gain
much if she took us.
' Thus ended the premeditated achievements of the Brails
ford transport off Lisbon !
' This morning the wind carae fair, and we are now at
anchor in the harbour. The greatest part of the fleet are a
great way to the leeward, a,nd will raost probably not get in for
several days. It has always been a recommendation to the regi-

iET. 16.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 51
ment, as well as a satisfaction to all the officers, that since we
embarked frora England we are the healthiest reglraent in the
whole army. Some regiments have two or three hundred sick,
and their ships are perfect hospitals. I do not believe we have
twelve raen sick in the whole three battalions. In our ship
we have not one.' To his Aunt, 'Lisbon: December 10, 1800.
' I told you in my last that we expected to land every day,
but barracks could not be got ready till about a fortnight ago.
All the officers are in lodgings, as there are no barracks for
us. We are allowed lodging money, so that we are very well off.
I have got into a very comfortable box, with two other officers,
which, however, I believe we shall not keep long, as we have
had orders to return to England. You no doubt heard this
long before us. It is reported that we are going to war with
Russia. I hope this is far from being the case.
' We are very well pleased with our quarters here ; Lisbon
is a very fine city, but I never was in a dirtier place. We
have not seen all the lions yet, but as our stay is so uncertain,
I have determined to have a peep at everything worth seeing
before I leave the place. I have received the raost flattering
encouragement and marked attention frora Sir James Pul
teney and General Manners. Pray tell Colonel Benson when
you see him that Sir James Pulteney inquired very much after
him when I dined with hira last Sunday. I cannot help men
tioning that it is entirely to him that I owe all the attention I
have been honoured with. I have forgot to tell you that Colonel
Fisher is appointed Brigadier-General, and commands the 3rd
battalion of the 9th. We lost General Manners when we were
lying off Cadiz. Never were fellows ra(jre disappointed, for
thouo-h I have the greatest respect for Colonel Fisher, yet we
could not help regretting the loss of a commanding officer with
whom we had been on service before, and who we all hoped
would have headed us when we expected to attack Cadiz. He
was beloved and respected by men and officers.'
E 2

52 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isoo;
His notebook entry about the same time is —
' Lisbon would appear to much greater advantage were the
streets kept clean, which is far from being the case. Their
churches are magnificent ; the altar-piece in St, Roque is said to
be the richest In Europe. The aqueduct which supplies all Lis
bon with water, situated about three railes from the town, is re
ported to be the grandest of the kind in the world. This stood
unshaken during the great earthquake (1755) which convulsed
the whole country round, as appears from Its rugged appear
ance and the ruins. The people seem an indolent race ; quiet
If unmolested, but once provoked revengeful to excess. It is
looked upon as a prodigy if three or four murders are not com
mitted every week. They are bigoted to the Catholic religion.
They seem to have a great aversion to the English.
' Several men have been murdered since we came here. Their
soldiers (such as we have seen) appear sluggish and ill-
disciplined. We suppose that our coming has raised the
price of provisions, for they are very dear. The weather is
fine, and the heat sometimes oppressive, even at this time of
year. Their principal amusements are on Sunday. The opera
is very good, though perhaps inferior to that of London.'
In December orders for returning home were received, and
on the 20th the 9th Regiment were once more on board the old
.Brailsford. They sailed out of the Tagus on the 29th ; but
the new century began for them inauspiclously, as they en
countered very heavy weather, which on the 3rd increased to
a gale. The diary says : —
' At 7 P,M, gale more violent than ever, with heavy rain.
The old Brailsjord sprung a leak ; we are now worse off than
ever ; they have three feet of water in our hold ; however, we
manage to stop it up pretty well, but not completely.
' 4^A. — The gale increases at night ; we are In danger of
running aboard a ship, the raan at our helm being drunk —
bad work ! '
On the 21st they reached Portsmouth, but after the ship
had been fumigated they were re-embarked for Jersey,

X.T. 10. J Sir William Maynard Gumvi. 53
' Heard of the news of the death of General Goldsworthy,
January 8.
' February 1. — We land at St. Aubins and march to St.
Hellers. We are in the Granville barracks, the 2nd and 3rd
battalions in the town. This is a very fine island, and we are in
the pleasantest part of it. Our men are falling sick every day,
on account of having been on board ship so long.
' 24. — We have now scarcely 200 effective raen in the
battalion, which was 700 strong. The other battalions are very
sickly, though not so bad as we. It is reported that the French
intend attacking the island. We should at this moraent muster
a very small force, but they are British soldiers I
' Recruiting parties are ordered to be sent to England Ira
raediately from each battalion. I ara appointed aide-de-camp '
to General Benson.
' March 10. — Embark onboard the packet with my recruit
ing party, landing next day at Southampton, and send my
party on to Liverpool.
' April 1. — Arrive at Liverpool. I was unsuccessful, in
common with nearly the whole army, in raising men.'
In June 1802 Gomm rejoined his regiment in Silverdale,
and in August they went to Chatham ; in October to Plymouth.
1 803. — Early In this year he raised men for rank, and there
by got his proraotion to a field officer's company In June.
In September the regiment embarked for Ireland, ' landed
at Kinsale, a wretched hole. March through Cork to Kil
kenny, county Tipperary, very highly cultivated : Cork,
mountainous and barren. Kilkenny, very flat, but rich and
well cultivated. The regiment is reviewed here by the Com-
' That the duties of aide-de-camp were discharged to the satisfaction of the
public is testified by the fact that, at a common council, held on January 6, J 802,
on the motion of the Mayor, Peter Whitfield Berncher, Esq., Lieutenant William
Gomm was presented with the freedom of the City of Liverpool, for his general
attention to the duties of his ofBce as aide-de-camp to Major-General Benson,
commanding ofiftcer of the North-Western District, during the time of his residence
in the town.

54 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isoi.
raander-in-Chlef, Lord Cathcart. Two of our sentries were
fired at by some mischievous persons — a trick rauch practised
in Dublin at this time by the disaffected — chiefly upon the
yeomanry, at night ; one of them was wounded in the ham, the
offender never discovered. Some of us fall in love with Kil
kenny.' ' 1804. — In the beginning of January the regiment marched
to Kilbeggen, Moat, and Clara, county Westmeath. A very
flat country all the way ; the roads remarkably good ; provisions
much cheaper than in England ; the people indignant to excess.
Accommodation on the roads indifferent. The country Is
quiet now ; invasion by the French, or rather an attempt at
invasion, daily expected. The regular force in the country
is supposed to be about twenty -six thousand, militia included.
' We found Portarlington the only town worth noticing on
our route ; it is rauch sraaller than Kilkenny, and appears to
have little to do with trade, but there are many excellent
houses, and consequently I suppose there is a very genteel
society,' It is no doubt matter for some surprise to find that William
Goram, who joined his regiment as a mere boy, and at once
went abroad on active service, should have found time and
opportunity to make himself a well-educated raan, both in
history, classics, and modern languages ; for In those days our
regimental messes were not supposed to represent a high state
of mental culture. One of the secrets of his success is given
in aletter to his sister from Kilbeggen, January 17, 1804.
' I generally pass my mornings, when not engaged in regi
mental duty, with which by-the-bye, we are far from bein g
overburdened at present, in reading history.' In the same
letter occurs the following amusing story : ' I do not know if
you have ever heard of the famous Lady Cuffe. She keeps
the inn at this place ; we have been not a little entertained at
the story of her obtaining and retaining the title. It is first
of all necessary to tell you that the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland
has, or had, the power of knighting whom he thought proper.
The Duke of Rutland, while presiding in this country, hap-

MT. 19.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 55
pening to pass by Kilbeggen, was so well pleased with the
entertainment afforded him by Mr. Cuffe, the innkeeper — no
less in regard to drinking than eating, we may reasonably
imagine — that his Grace, in the plenitude of his power, conferred
the rank of knighthood upon his noble host the sarae evening.
Disapproving the next raorning of the hasty step he had
taken. His Grace expressed his wishes to Sir Peter that the
business should be considered null and void. Sir Peter is
said to have replied that being a man of moderate desires, and
an enemy professed to all pomp and vanity, he for his part
would cheerfully resign his new-fledged honours, but that he
had consulted " Lady Arabella " on the subject, whose senti
ments were far from being so humble as the knight's, in con
sequence of which His Grace gave up the point, and Lady
Cuffe has been acknowledged by all ranks and sizes of people.
She appears now to be about seventy years of age, and is in
high health and beauty.'
In March the 9th Regiment was moved to Dublin, where
he writes : — ' The garrison is supposed to consist of 5,000 men ;
we have eight regiments of infantry and two of cavalry.
Lord Cathcart reviews the greater part of us in general three
tiraes a week ; this employs us nearly the whole raorning, so
you may perceive his lordship Intends, if possible, to rid our
characters of the charge of Idleness, for which failing the army
is so notorious. The Lord-Lieutenant invited the garrison to
the Castle ball on St. Patrick's night, and in consequence of
our very recent arrival His Excellency very graciously waived
the ceremony of a formal presentation, and requested our
attendance also that evening ; we availed ourselves of the
opportunity, and were highly gratified with a display of every
thing that Dublin can produce in the way of elegance and
fashion. Since then we have attended the Drawing-room, and
had the honour of being presented to Lady Hardwicke,'
As an instance of how well they were kept employed he
says in his letter of June 18, 1804 : ' A few

56 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1804.
Lord Cathcart ordered the entire garrison under arms a little
after twelve o'clock, and after marching us about ten miles
towards Drogheda and taking up several positions, we returned
home a little before three the following afternoon, so that we
were kept in motion nearly fifteen hours, the greater part of
which was under a broiling sun ; but this is a superior sort of
drill, which, as it affords us instruction of the most necessary
kind, so from its novelty there Is a sort of amusement attending
its fatigue,' A subaltern of the present day would scarcely write so
pleasantly of a fifteen hours' march.
While at Dublin he applied for leave to join the Military
College at High Wycombe. This college had been established
about the year 1801, and had been placed under the superin
tendence of General Jarry, who had been aide-de-camp to
Frederick the Great. At that time Howard Douglas was
superintendent of the senior department, and he eventually
succeeded Jarry as commandant. In Mr, FuUom's ' Life of
Sir Howard Douglas,' a just tribute is paid to the excellent
influence exercised by him over the young officers who studied
there. Shortly after his joining the college he writes to his
aunt : —
' I have managed to get over this formidable examination,
which resembled, however. In many points that which you
gave me an account of, and indeed I am very glad you had
prepared me for a question similar to Pontius Pilate, for the
mathematician attacked me with such an air of importance
that I really began to doubt whether I was master of long
division, Frora what I have hitherto been able to collect, I
do not see a prospect of carrying myself a raile out of the town,
except on a Sunday, which is a day of rest,
' The hours of fagging are from nine In the morning until
four in the afternoon ; they will shortly commence at eight and
end at three. The time Is divided in this manner : the two
first hours are given up to French and German ; the two
following hours are applied to mathematics, and drawing is

MT. 20.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 57
taught from two to four. There are six classes for each of
these studies, but very few go beyond the fifth, and it is so
managed that each of the branches should keep pace with the
other; for which purpose when an officer has attained the
knowledge necessary for the class he belongs to in one branch
of his study he is made to apply raore immediately to those in
which he is not so forward, and is not promoted until he has
made equal progress in all. I am fortunate to begin with the
fourth class of French, which I find to be a great advantage.
The study of German is optional, but of course I shall not
hesitate a moment in offering myself for It ; but this is not
permitted to be taught until the fourth class of French is
attained, so that there are officers here who have been a
twelvemonth preparing themselves, and are only now begin
ning the German grammar.
' The teachers seem all perfectly masters of their task, and
show great attention.
' The expense I shall incur here will be very little raore
than with the regiment, after paying the subscription, which
is thirty guineas annually, and the purchase of a horse, which
last, however, will not be necessary for the present, as the
sketching does not commence till April 1, and there is a great
deal of drudgery to get over before I can be admitted as a
candidate for this part of the study ; however, I mean to fag
hard at the dry part, and get over it as soon as I can. The
mess is regulated upon the same plan with that of a regiment,
excepting that the quantity of wine is limited, as I explained
to you the other morning. I am fortunate in meeting an old
Woolwich acquaintance here ; we are both beginners.
' The officers are a very genteel set, and I assure you they
seem in general very tolerably disposed to work hard. I shall
write to you or Sophia again shortly, and have only to add
now that I am very much pleased with ray situation. I had
forgot to tell you about my lodging. I pay 14s. a week for
it, and ara allowed 8s. I believe it Is actually the cheapest In
the town, and at the same time a very good one.'

58 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1805.
As illustrative of this period of his life, the following note
written by Sir William to Sir Archibald Alison is interesting : —
' 33, Brunswick Terrace, Brighton : December 12, 1864.
' Mt dear Sir Archibald, — I rejoice to gather from
public report that you are engaged in writing a " Life of Lord
Hardinge." There could be no worthier employraent even for
your pen,
' I do not presurae, unbidden, to offer details for your
acceptance in furtherance of thfe good work, and few they are
that I could furnish from my own experience — so widely sepa
rated have been the scenes of our respective callings from the
period of youth upwards — but there is one anecdote of his
early life always a favourite one with rae, which it is possible
may not have reached you through any other channel — so
many of our compeers in age having passed from this scene —
an anecdote, however, which I feel persuaded you would not
willingly let die while engaged in setting forth the true
nobility of the character,
' We were fellow-students at the Royal Military College
of High Wycombe in the years 1805-6, and I recollect Deare,
a fine young ensign of the 3rd (now Fusilier) Guards, giving
us while seated round the mess-table one day after dinner an
animated account of the landing In Egypt, in which operation
the Guards, as was ever their wont, bore no mean part, and in
the course of which he was wounded ; and I see Hardinge, at
this moraent seated opposite to me, bursting into tears, at the
stirring recital, inveighing bitterly against the jade Fortune
who suffered that young fellow to have already seen and done
so much while she kept him still a laggard from the real field
of action !
' I recollect, too, that the incident brought to my mind at
the moment the parallel bearing recorded of the yet unlaurelled
Caesar while contemplating the exploits of the young Alex
ander, and I drew a happy augury from the circumstance,
' We were very intimate at Wycombe, I have always been
proud to feel, and the affection was lasting, uninterrupted

^sT. 21.] • Sir William Maynard Gomm. 59
by personal estrangeraent to the close of his brilliant career ;
and I raay thus hope for your indulgence while intruding upon
you as I ara here doing. — Believe me to be, my dear Sir
Archibald, ' Faithfully yours,
'W. M, Gomm.'
From a memo in his handwriting it appears that the follow
ing were some of his fellow-students at High Wycombe in
1805-6 :—
Captain Douglas, afterwards General Sir James Douglas, K.C.B.
„ Harries, „ General Sir William Harries, K.C.H.
and C.B.

Hardinge,

)j

General Viscount Hardinge, G.C.B.

Brotherton,

J)

General Sir Joseph Brotherton.

Langi^on

Dicksnn,

jj

Sir J. Dickson.

Scovall,

)j

General Sir Gaorge Scovall, K.C.B.

Campbell,

7>

Major-General Sir James Camphell,
Bart.

Thorn,

J)

Major-General Thorn, K.H.

Frankland,

?J

Killed at Roli9a.

Le Messnier,

»

Killed at Albuera.

Murray,

JJ

Sir George Murray.

All the above served on the staff of the Quartermaster-
General through the Peninsular war, in charge of divisions of
the army. Colonel Le Marchant (afterwards Sir Gaspard Le
Marchant), who was killed at Salamanca, was governor of the
college, and Lieut.-Colonel Douglas (afterwards General Sir
Howard Douglas) was superintendent.
On November 10, while at High Wycorabe, Captain
Gomm came of age. How sensible a woman his aunt and
guardian. Miss Jane Gomm, was, is shown by the following
letter which she wrote to hira on the occasion : —
' Lower Lodge, Windsor : November II, 1805.
' Mt dear William,^ — Had it been in my power I
should hj.ve made your birthday yesterday as merry as possible,
but I cannot give fetes. However, It was impossible for me
not to feel more than usual on your twenty-first birthday. It

6o The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1805,
is the period at which all men are called upon, rich or not rich,
to act for theraselves. You will therefore forgive me, I hope,
if I say something on the occasion. You, my dear William,
will not be encumbered with riches or a great income to
raanage, but you have, in ray opinion, fully as great a task
before you, and that is to maintain the good character you
have already obtained by your early entrance into life. You
have been endowed by the Almighty with a greater facility
of apprehension and a greater desire of improvement than
falls to the share of most young raen of your age. You must
therefore naturally feel a superiority in that respect which is
very pardonable ; but as you value your fame, never allow
these sensations to carry you away. Self-conceit and assurance
disfigure the most transcendent merit, and are odious in every
rank. It is as unbecoming to a prince as it is in any other
situation of life. Modest merit is always amiable ; and people
will always be more ready to acknowledge eminent qualities
in those that do not put them forward themselves, and their
excellence will be beloved as much as admired.
' There is, beside, another though raore trifling subject on
which you and every mibtary man should be piit on his guard,
and that is with respect to manners. Living much with men
makes people boisterous, noisy, and inattentive to what they
say and do. Situated as young men are in the army, nothing
but the most scrupulous attention on this score can prevent
their contracting these habits, and as you will most probably
live still more with men than ever, I cannot help giving you
this caution. I am anxious to see you good and great, and I
wish that, in addition to all these qualities, your manners may
have the polish those of a gentleman ought to have. Alas !
human nature is so prone to contract bad habits, and especially
the habits of those we are sometimes forced to live with, that
the safest is to be upon our guard at every age, and never to
relax on that point,
' Upon a more essential subject than any I have yet men
tioned, I flatter myself your principles are fixed. Yet I can
not help beseeching you to be on your guard against the

iET. 21.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 6i
wretched casuistry and the levity you may meet with at home
and abroad. For that reason never enter into jokes upon
religious subjects ; nobody can tell how far a joke may carry
one. You cannot pretend to reform the unprincipled raen
that raay fall in your way ; but you may show them you do
not like to listen to them. I say this more for what you may
meet with abroad than in England ; for, thank God ! irreliglon
is not the vice of the age with us, but I am afraid you will find
that it is so on the Continent.
' As this Is not written to reproach you with any defects
you raay have, my dear William, but to warn you from catch
ing the many errors you will find floating In society, I hope
you will not take it as a reproof, but as the advice of one who
has lived much longer than you In the world, and who is most
anxious about you. May the Almighty bless you and pre
serve you from the many faults human nature Is subject to. Is,
and will be, my constant prayer. Do not answer this letter,
but let your whole life be a proof that you have attended to
these injunctions, and I cannot experience a greater satisfac
tion; and believe me ever, my dear William,
' Your truly affectionate aunt,
' Jane Gomm.'

This letter, which he evidently prized highly. Is found
carefully stored among his papers, put Into a separate cover
and docketed by him. His reply was unusually brief, being
merely a sentence in a note written the following day about a
projected visit to his aunt at Windsor.
' My dearest Aunt, — I received yesterday morning
your letter. You have pointed out to me the raanner in
which you would have it answered. I think you will believe
rae sincere when I promise you I have read It more than once,
and that if I am ever fortunate enough in the least to resemble
the model it presents me with, I shall have attained the first
ambition of my soul. With my best love to Sophia, and kindest

62 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1805.
remembrances to Miss Goldsworthy, believe me, my dear
aunt, ' Ever gratefully and affectionately yours,
' W, M, Gomm.'
That these were no idle promises is best shown by William
Gomm's whole after-life. His good aunt, at his entry into it,
warned him against three things — viz, arrogance, rough man
ners, and irreligion ; and all who knew him most readily admit
that for nothing was the old Field-Marshal raore noted than
for his singular modesty, his pure-minded and old-fashioned
courtesy, while his deep religious principles pervaded and in
fluenced his whole life. Seldom have precept and promise
been so closely and fully covered by action.

MT. 21.J Sir William Maynard Gomm. 63

CHAPTER IV,
1805-1808.
Expedition to Bremen — Ebtuens to Staff College — Passes Exami
nation — Expedition to Stralsund — Bombardment op Copenhagen
—Army receives Thanks of Parliament.
Towards the end of the year 1805 William Gomm's studies
at the Military College were broken in upon by a call to arras.
He had heard that his regiment was under orders for India, and
was to embark almost immediately. He therefore hurried up
to London and saw General Brownrigg, the Adjutant- General;
but as the destination of the regiment was so uncertain, he was
divided between his anxiety to effect an exchange so as to
avoid going to India, and his extreme desire not to exchange
if there was a chance of his regiment being ordered on active
service in Europe, ' London : November 21, 1806.
' It is Impossible, my dear aunt, for anything to have been
more kind than General Brownrigg's behaviour to me this
morning, ... To cut the matter short, I must tell you
plump that I am neither going to India nor going with the
Guards ; but I hope I am going to the Mediterranean, Before
I go any further I must tell you a good thing, which is, that I
have positively let G eneral Brownrigg into the secret of the
reo-iment being destined for India, Who would ever have
thought that Captain William Gomm should have been before
hand with the Quartermaster- General in news about his own
regiment ? I shall tell this as a triumph some time hence ; but,
unfortunately, when it would go down so much better, it is
probably more prudent that I should be tongue-tied upon the
subject. But, to proceed. As I was going to say, he pro-

64 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1805.
tested to rae that he knew nothing of the regiment being
destined for India. At the same tirae, he thought it a very
likely thing that the Duke of York, out of kindness to him,
would take such a raeasure, as it was always considered advan
tageous to the colonel ; and frora what his Royal Highness
had raentloned to Princess Mary, there could be no doubt of
his Intentions. I then begged of him to consider that my only
wish was to avoid going to India in making an exchange, and
that as I was convinced the regiment was not destined for that
quarter immediately, being at present under orders for em
barkation. It might possibly be Intended for more active ser
vice. In this case I begged of him, for God's sake, not to
suffer me to take any steps towards a removal from the regi
ment till it was released from any engagement of this sort.
He told me they had certainly been destined for the Mediter
ranean, but that so many changes had lately taken place (and
he mentioned the situajfion of Portugal) that, upon his honour,
he knew not at this moraent their destination. Until I know
more, I shall have nothing but golden dreams when I sleep. I
hope you will not construe this unworthily into any allusion to
prize money. Then we carae rnore iraraediately to the subject
of exchange. He said it would be the height of madness to
think of it. I was a little surprised at his telling me I had
better have asked the Duke to give me a majority, instead of
leave to exchange. I should as soon have thought of asking
for the Gold Stick when it became vacant. He then made
another proposal to me, which I confess I should have been
afraid to have made to him, which was to apply for leave of
absence, and by that means to remain with the 2nd battalion,
and he thought no reflection would attach to me for this mode
of proceeding ; but I confess that much as I respect his sanc
tion for any step I may take, I had rather go any other way
to work than this. The fact is, he sees the exchange with the
same eyes that Doctor Johnson did the enlisting a boy into the
navy — viz, nobody would go there who had interest to get
into Newgate. This other plan I have great hopes of getting
accomplished. There is now only one captain above me who.

MT. LM.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 65
he thinks, will not purchase, and as one of the lieut.-colonels
is upon the point of leaving the regiment and selling out, I may
stand a chance of coming In for the majority by purchase,
which will, of course, bring me into the 2nd battalion. . . .'
His quiet studies at High Wycombe and his doubts about
applying for an exchange were alike put an end to on finding at
the beginning of December that bis regiment was ordered to
embark at once on foreign service. He posted up to London,
but, finding that the regiment had already sailed, he posted
down to Ramsgate, where he found the Isis, with part of the
9th on board, forced In by the weather ; he, therefore, secured
a passage in her. The fleet had sailed so suddenly that ' I
am not the only one left behind. Colonel de Berniere, and
three or four other officers, have not joined. ,1 have heard or
seen nothing of them..'
A few days afterwards, December 21, 1805, he writes from
Deal to his aunt, reporting that the Ariadne was missing.
' She . Is the headquarter ship of the regiment ; the flower of
the regiment is on board her. Colonel de Berniere arrived
here while she was weighing her anchor, and sailed with her.
She is one of the largest and finest ships in the fleet. The
number on board is near 300, Including ray own company,
with which I should have sailed, had I been In time. This
is sometimes a painful reflection to me. You will not be sur
prised at our being a little, or more than a little, anxious on
the subject. Possibly she has reached her destination. She
is a very fine ship. I sail on board the Harriet, which is at
present the headquarter ship, and beyond comparison one of
the finest in the fleet In every respect. Orders arrived yes
terday by express for the fieet to put to sea immediately.
' 22 n<^. There was no post yesterday. Nine o'clock : the
signal Is just made for sailing. The wind quite fair and very
moderate. We are just going on board. No accounts of our
Ariadne. I shall write to you in a day or two from Emden or
the Weser.' F

66 The_ Earlier Letters and Jotu^nals of [1805.
'Bremen Lehe: December 28, 1805.
'My dear Sophia, — I feel the highest satisfaction at
being able at length to tell you that we are safely arrived on
this shore. Nothing could have been more fortunate than our
passage, and all our calamities were to begin after having
anchored in the Weser, We reached it on the afternoon of
Christmas Day , but the passage is rendered so intricate by the
number of sands which are found on either side, that the con
voy did not consider it prudent to attempt this without the
assistance of pilots. These (for what reason we at present
know not) have never made their appearance, notwithstanding
repeated signals, by which means we have been put to our
shifts. The night before last was a most unpleasant one, or
rather the morning. We were roused about two o'clock by
the confusion occasioned by our having dragged our anchors
and run foul of another vessel. The negligence of our honest
crew suffered the business to proceed to this extremity before
they were apprised of the vessel having drifted. The wind
had risen unpleasantly high, and the snow nearly deprived
us of our sight, the faculty we are on such occasions most in
need of. However, we parted after giving each other two
or three hearty hugs, which did not materially hurt either
of us ; at the same time both vessels drove, till we were
fortunate cmough to find her anchors hold. This was cer
tainly fortunate, for the breakers were not at the time
above three cables' length astern of us — no great distance,
I assure you — and as the surf was beating high from the
violence of the weather, we should certainly not have beeu
well received on the shoals. But we rode it out In close
society during the remainder of the night. In the morning
we found that our anchor had fixed upon the cables of the
vessel we had so wrongly handled. You may judge how
agreeably I was surprised on hearing from some raen of the
artillery who had jumped on board us during the fray, we
being the larger and possibly the stronger vessel, that James '
' His second cousin, James Alexander Gomm, son of the Eev. William Gomm,
of Bramdean. He was the same age as William Gomm, and was in the Artillery.
He died at Bramdean in 1816.

*T. 21.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 67
was with them. I have as yet only had an opportunity of
hailing him. We were both of us well pleased at having
parted when we did. We had some difficulty in getting Into
this harbour, which Is about ten miles up the river from the
place we anchored at. We were obliged to cut our cable to
avoid the fate of a larger vessel which had just run upon the
sands. As the morning was fine and without wind, there is
no doubt of the crew, which consisted of 500 raen, being saved ;
but the vessel may be lost or much damaged if the wind rises.
I shall not say anything more on the subject of our little ad
ventures, which, however, interested us at the moraent. They
only serve to convince us that it has been rather owing to
a good Providence than to our own wits that we are here in
safety. In the weather we have had it was almost impossible
to err, notwithstanding which one of our fleet, the Helder,
ran on shore near the Texel ; we have heard nothing further
of her. It was a fine night, and we have great hopes that the
crew have not only been saved but preserved for the King's
service by our frigates. She had half the 5 th Regiment on
board. The truth is that the greater part of the vessels em
ployed on this service, at least a very heavy proportion of
them, are perfectly unacquainted with these seas, and the crews
which have generally been employed to the westward are as
well acquainted with the Straits of Magellan or the river of the
Amazons as with the North Sea and the Weser, Certainly
our vessel Is a very fine one, but I can say nothing for the
crew. But euough of this. We have reached the shore much
more happily, I believe, than England expected we should,
and I admire the firmness and enterprise of the Government in
not giving way at the first ill-success, if we are at all in
request here, I am afraid to speak to you ypt of our poor
Ariadne ; we have as yet had no communication with the shore
or harbour. She may be here, and we may still be the same
regiment we have long had the reputation of being. May
Heaven grant it be so !
' P.S. — 31 5^. There has not been a possibility of my send
ing this off since we arrived. . . . The ship with the 5lh
F 2

68 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1806.
on board has just got off the sands. We expect to land to
morrow. It was very cold when we arrived; it has since
thawed, and the country is a sea of mud. While I am
writing (10 P.M.) it blows a gale, or rather a hurricane ; but
we are very safe in the harbour. I trust none of our friends
are off the Dutch coast. The Hambro' papers mention to-day
the loss of several vessels of our fleet. You may, of course, have
heard it all. Not a word of the Ariadne. Adieu ! May you
all spend as happy and raeiTy a Christmas as I wish you. . . .'
'Bremen Lehe : January 7, 1806.
' My dear Sophia, — At length I am allowed the satis
faction of telling you that we are all landed ; but it was only
yesterday that the brigade of which the 9th forms a part
came on shore. Since I last wrote to you circumstances have
taken place for which we are even now at a loss to account.
We received the order five days ago to disembark, but were
shortly after directed to remain on board. At the same time,
all the shipping which had secured itself as much as possible
from the weather, by running every vessel dry upon the shore,
has received orders to furnish itself immediately with a fresh
supply of water, and to be ready to return to England at the
first notice. It has been reported that this is in consequence
of the further successes of the French, of which we have re
ceived no authentic accounts. But it is scarcely doubted by
any one here that everything Is as bad as it can be In Bohemia.
It is said that the Emperor of Germany has made peace,'
the Emperor of Russia retired In consequence, and that the
King of Prussia has undertaken to prevent the French from
approaching the Elbe or Weser, for the purpose of course
of allowing the British Army to return unmolested. God
forbid that any of this report should be founded upon truth !
We are unfortunately the youngest brigade; that is,
' On December 15, 1805, was concluded the treaty of Vienna between Austria
and Prussia ; one condition of which was that Prussia was to take possession of
Hanover; and on December 26, 1805, France and Austria concluded the treaty of
Prebburg.

X.T. 21.] Sn- William Maynard Gomm. 69
the general officer who commands us — General Hill — is the
youngest in the army here, consequently we have been the last
to disembark. At the sarae time, we have hopes that we shall
shortly raove up the river, and that we shall experience no
disadvantage frora this circurastance. The army Is all on the
right bank of the Weser, and we are the right of the whole —
that is, the furthest frora the scene of action. This Is so far
fortunate, as I believe nothing has been done yet; and, pro
vided it does not continue too long, as our men will have time
to recruit themselves after their long confinement. They have
been on board nine weeks. They are, however, very healthy.
I ara sure you will all partake in our joy at hearing (which
you raust have done before this time) of the safety of our
friends of the Ariadne. They are every one of them prisoners
of war at Valenciennes. This i^ the only authentic intelligence
we have as "yet received. What has become of the ship,
whether they were wrecked, or how taken, we know not. It
is a grating reflection to us, that we have lost the flower of our
regiment — Colonel de Berniere — and the principal officers be
fore we enter the field, for they certainly cannot join us again for
a long time, if at all, while we are in Germany. The whole
of the Grenadier Company is taken. At the same time, in
comparison with the accounts we had too much reason
hourly to expect, we were overjoyed at this intelligence. You
must have seen in the papers, after the first sailing of our
division, an account of two vessels having been wrecked upon
the Noorder Sands, near the Texel, the one a brig, from which
all were saved, the other a large ship, in which all perished
except fourteen. I never mentioned It to you, but from the
moment those accounts arrived the safety of the Ariadne was
almost despaired of. If the accounts were correct, she was
the only vessel missing whose size and number of the crew
corresponded with those mentioned. These vessels have not
been accounted for, and we should be inclined to set it down as
entirely false, if any end could be assigned to so cruel a for
gery. We have still a small vessel missing. We have no
apprehensions for her safety, but we fear that she has returned

70 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1806.
to England, so that the force with which we first left the
cauntry is reduced from 1,000 to I fear less than 600. I be
lieve I have already told you that my own company was on
board the Ariadne, and that I ought myself to have been with
it. How fortunate I am in escaping, if we are to be actively
employed here ! We have saved the colours by a singular
good fortune. It is always customary to lodge them on board
the headquarter ship, and the Harriet happening to be so at
Falmouth, on account of Colonel de Berniere having left the
regiment for a few days, they were brought from the Ariadne,
and have remained on board our vessel ever since.
' %th. — I have just been reading the Hambro' papers which
arrived here this day. They bring intelligence of a cessation
of arms having been agreed upon for t'ae space of three
months, during which time no alterations or reinforcements are
to be made in the armies on either side. We are all Included
In this treaty. It is supposed that It will terminate in a
general or at lea'st a continental peace. I hope not, for the
sake of England and of Europe. There can surely be no
peace at this crisis which has not universal slavery for its
basis. It seems probable that we shall remain as we are until
something fresh transpires, which we raay with great reason
expect before the three months have passed over our heads,
I very much fear that we shall, from these circumstances, re
main in our present quarters rauch longer than we wish. Not
that they are by any raeans bad — very far from it ; but we can
scarcely call ourselves in the country, and It would be shocking
to return home without having had an opportunity of seeing
more of it. This place is called Lehe only upon the map ; it
is a large village ; we find everything in it that we require
for convenience, and even sometimes for luxury, although we
have long ago renounced all pretensions to the latter. The
people are subject to the King, and therefore well disposed to
us. We are here at present without any money, and the
Commander-in-Chief has in consequence issued orders that the
soldiers should be suppHed by the people, until money can be
had, with a certain allowance of provisions, for which they will

iET. 21.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 71
be repaid by the heads of the department. However, you will
easily understand that the people will not be gainers by this
system, which, at the same time, is the best possible to be
adopted ; not that they can suffer much by it, but there will
always be little excesses committed among soldiers as well as
other people on these occasions. The people are perfectly
good-humoured, and they have been so schooled in hardships
during the last few years that what raight be termed delicacy
in us in a saucy country is only decency here. The French
were in this town for two years and a half, during which
time the Inhabitants were forced to supply them with every
thing they required at free cost ; and as it was here that the
English were expected to land whenever they thought proper
to send a force into this country, the requisitions they made
were in proportion heavier than in most other parts. We are,
however, always inclined to search after something that can
merit our approbation in the midst of all the excesses the
French have been guilty of throughout Europe, and it gives
us pleasure to find the people unanimous in their accounts,
that setting aside their extortions their behaviour was for the
most part decent and becoming. The people talk very little
English in this town, which I am glad of. I am endeavouring
to learn whether their German is good ; otherwise it is dan
gerous. The master of our vessel amused us highly in the
report he gave us of the inhabitants the day before we landed.
He had come on shore for provisions, and being neither a wit
nor a linguist, he began by addressing them in plain English,
but he found them all so sulky and ill-disposed to the cause
that not one of them would speak a word of English for him,
and he was obliged to return as empty as he went. When first
we arrived, the snow was deep on the ground. Several days
after it thawed, and we have had neither snow nor frost since,
wnich we are told is, and should naturally conceive to be, un
common at this season. We have reason to regret this circum
stance, for you have no conception of the state of the roads in
this temper of the weather. We landed at the village of
Giesendorf, at the opening of the creek which you will find

72 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [ISOG.
marked upon the map, about four railes from hence, but our
march to this place was really an undertaking. It is not
sloppy mud, but a sort of clay, which, I am convinced, has
something to do with the powers of the loadstone, for I was
often in danger of leaving my boots behind me. I am sure
Mr. Bolt would agree with me upon this subject. We are
told the country is equally bad further on. The part we are
in is a perfect plain, and the water is only retained by dykes.
However, bad as the road is, I would willingly undergo a long
march if it could be allowed us. Horses are to be had very
cheap, and as forage will be allowed us, we all Intend furnish
ing ourselves if we raove forward. Provisions of every descrip
tion are cheaper than in England, though dearer beyond com
parison than they were a short time back. I assure you I am
obliged to put my German to the proof in my own defence.
It is very seldom that I find French of use to me here ; this I
am not surprised at. I am very much at a loss at present,
though perhaps not quite so much as some of my neighbours,
and this, I assure you, is no small encouragement to me. I
am determined to take every opportunity of exercising the
little I am In possession of, and as they are not so mal-honnete
as our honest countrymen, who burst out into a hoarse laugh
whenever they hear a stranger talk English, I allow myself
more liberty than I probably should do were I in Mr. Becker-
dorff's situation. I have as yet heard nothing of him. Tell
aunt I have found her map already of infinite use. I assure
you it shall not appear to disadvantage when you see it again.
At Deal I pasted it upon canvas, and made a case for it. It
is ray constant companion wheu I read the Hambro' paper,
which renders the latter as interesting as it is Instructive, not
from its comments, for I believe it is wholly under French in
fluence, but for the language. I have not told you, my dear
Sophy, how good a sailor I have become. I had no sea sick
ness worthy beiug called so during the whole time I was on
board, and I assure you I have been fifty times indebted to
your little present and its contents for this ; it lends more
courage on such occasions than I could possibly have con-

MT. 21.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. j^
ceived. And now, ray dear Sophia, I must leave off, for I
have already squeezed so much into this unfortunate sheet of
paper, that whenever I open it I despair of your ever being
able to make head or tail of it. Indeed, I scarcely hope to be
forgiven by aunt after all her admonitions, particularly as I
recollect hearing her express her disapprobation at all criss
crossing. I hope when you write you will say something of
Henry, though I cannot hope that he has yet arrived in Eng
land. The post leaves here only twice a week, which is the
reason of my detaining this, I have just room to beg my best
duty to aunt, and everything you can say kind from me to our
dear Miss G, Compliments to Mademoiselle de Montmolin,
Your very affectionate brother, ' W, M. Gomm.'
'Bremen: January 24, 1806.
'My dear Sophia, — Before I attempt to account to you
for my being here, I raust acquaint you with the joyful news
we received yesterday by express to Lord Cathcart, that the
French had broken through the conditions of the treaty with
Austria, and that hostilities had again commenced.
' It is supposed that the King of Prussia has, therefore,
declared himself. Heaven grant It may be so ! The people
here are as much pleased with this news as ourselves. I
dined yesterday at the table dlwte ; the intelligence arrived
during dinner, and was most welcomely received on all sides.
I assure you it is not altogether self with us, although I con
fess this had no inconsiderable share in our well-wishes. There
is also another report here, which it is unnecessary to tell you
we all hope may be true. It is, that the Brest fleet have
ventured out and have been corapletely defeated — or rather
exterminated, if the report be true. I am afraid to think of
the number said to have been taken or destroyed. It gives the
whole such an air of improbability, I dare say you are anxious
to hear how I got here, I got leave to accompany our pay
master, who has been obliged to come here on business. . , .
It really was not a trifling undertaking, both on account of
the dreadful state of the roads, which are almost equally bad

74 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [18O6.
the whole way ; and, more than all, the wretched horses they
furnish us with on the road — having none of our own, from
the too great jirobabillty hitherto of our returning home. We
are obliged to make the road considerably longer, in order to
supply ourselves with horses and guides, which are stationed
at regular posts, though their attendance is not so regular,
being obliged to wait one or two hours always at these places.
We arrived here yesterday afternoon, and I fear my " knight's "
business will admit of his returning so soon as to-morrow. I
shall, therefore, run about the town all day, particularly as we
are obliged to dine at half-past two ; and, of course, nothing
can be done after that at this season of the year, except the
play, which I went to last night and was much pleased with,
particularly the rausic. , , .'
The next letter to his sister is dated Yarmouth, February 8,
1806. It announces their arrival there that afternoon. Their
destination from the Weser was the Downs, but the wind did
not permit of their getting there. They were met on landing
by the news of the death of Mr. Pitt, which had occurred ou
the 23rd ult. This letter Is interesting as showing the differ
ence of the old days of slow posts and sailing vessels, as con
trasted with our present frequent posts, telegraphs, and steam
vessels. Captain Goram says to his sister that he had not received
a single letter from home since he left ; but, he adds, ' I am
not surprised at it. About three letters have been received
by the whole regiment since we have been out; they must
have been all detained In England, under the supposition that
we should be upon the return before they could reach us,'
The troops had to remain on board several days, crowded
as the ships were, awaiting orders frora headquarters. Fancy
troops now going across to the raouths of the Elbe and Weser,
and in an absence of six weeks no letter being received from
home. They seem seventy years ago to have been about on
a par, as far as means of transport and communication were
concerned, with the Romans when they came over to England

Mt. 2-2.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. j^
eighteen centuries ago. The want of regular continental
posts, the absence of telegraphic communication, the fleet
waiting about for a favourable wind to come over the Channel,
and then not being able to raake its destined harbour,
seem to take us back Into another age as we read these
letters. Captain Gomm soon returned again to his studies at High
Wycombe, and many of his letters to his sister at this time
were written in French, In a style which shows that he was
completely at home In the language. He passed his final
examination at the College in November, and obtained his
certificate. ( Cm'tificate^ ' Eoyal Military College : November 28, 1806.
' At a half-yearly examination, held this day, Captain William Gomm, of
the 9th Regiment of Foot, a, student at the Senior Department from Febru
ary 1, 1805, appeared before a board assembled for that purpose, and having
after a strict examination in the different branchss of study, acquitted him
self to the perfect satisfaction of the Board; and the Lieut.-Governor and
the Commandant having reported satisfactorily as to his general conduct, we
the Oommissioners and Members of .the Collegiate Board present, certify that
Captain Gomm is qualified to serve on the General Staff of the Army.
(Signed) ' Edwakd, Field-Marshal.
' William Habcotjet, General.
' Adolphus Feedebich, Lieut.-General.
'RoBEBT Bbownbigs, Quarter-Master General.
' J. G. Le Marchant, Colonel, Lieut.-Governor
Royal Military College.
' W. Butlee, Commandant, Jm-. Department
Royal Military College.
' H. Douglas, Major, Oommandant Senior De
partment.'
After Captain Gomm left the College there is a break in
his correspondence with his sister for a few months, and his
next letter shows that he has again proceeded with his regi
ment on active service to Denmark.
Mr. Canning had at this time been placed in the Foreign
Office, and he desired to assist Russia and Prussia against

76 The Earlier Letters and Joti^mals of [1807,
France ; but Napoleon had been too quick for him, and in
June 1807, after the battle of Friedland, the Emperors met
at Tilsit, on the Niemen, and concluded the Treaty of Tilsit.
One of the main though concealed objects of Napoleon in con
cluding this treaty was to paralyse the trade of England.
Mr. Canning learnt that, by a secret article In this treaty, the
Danish fleet was to be seized for the war by France, and all
the ports of Prussia, as well as of Dantzic, were to be shut
against the vessels and trade of Great Britain. The English
therefore directed the force which had been sent out under
Admiral Gambler and Lord Cathcart to bombard Copenhagen.
From this time forward Captain Gomm appears to have
served continuously upon the Staff of the Quartermaster-
General, until the close of the great war, except during the
retreat of Sir John Moore in the Peninsula, when for a short
time he rejoined his old regiment.
' Philipshagen, Island of Engen : July 16, 18(t7.
' My dearest Sophia, — By the greatest good luck I
have this moment met with a messenger charged with de
spatches from Mr. Pierrepoint In England, and cannot lose so
good an opportunity of giving you news of our arrival at last.
Indeed, we only reached our destination this morning. We
have had contrary winds continually, but no bad weather.
We land here because the vessels cannot go up to Stralsund,
from whence this place Is about thirty miles. Lord Cathcart
set off this morning for Stralsund : the King of Sweden Is
there ; the French are without the gates of the town at a short
distance, but it is rendered so strong by inundations and other
wise that it is not expected they will be able to take it. All
our German legion, amounting to about 18,000, have marched
there ; the King, they say, has about 12,000. They all regret
our not arriving sooner. What we are to do now that can
retrieve all that is passed we have no conception. Unless the
armistice between the grand army and the French is broken
off, we can surely do nothing, although their nurabers can do

MT. 22.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 77
us little Injury iu our present situation. The King, they say,
and the Swedes have been doing deeds of romance, and he has
exposed himself whenever it was possible. It is to be hoped
that all his generous efforts will not be frustrated, however
much it is to be feared, by the conclusion of a peace. The
conduct of the Russians appears to us very extraordinary ; It
is certain they have suffered immense loss in the late battles,
but they have by no means been beo^ten into a peace, and it is
the general opinion that the Emperor was disgusted with the
dilatory measures of our Cabinet ; indeed, Sophia, this is a
sad disappointment to us all. It is the second time that poor
Lord Cathcart has had all his measures, and I all ray castles,
frustrated and turabled to the ground. You see we talk quite
despondingly, and I really fear we shall return very soon. I
am left at this place to wait for orders from Stralsund of any
description that may arrive. You see they are determined to
take good care of me, but I hope to Heaven they will let me
go, on to Stralsund and see the little there will be to be seen
before I show my face in England again. You shall hear
from me, depend upon It, by every opportunity. I suppose It
is to forward the stores, etc., that I am left here, as this duty
belongs to ray departraent. Another is gone to reraain at
Bergen. I confess to you it is not a small disappointment to
me ; but we must only hope for a change of luck. I have no
horse at present, and I should find a difficulty in doing any
thing required of me till I can get one ; a few days will deter
mine whether this will be necessary. Heaven send it may !
for certainly the safety of the whole civilised world may be
, said to depend upon the conduct of the Russians and Prussians
at this moment. I am greatly hurried, and have written
almost unintelligibly ; but you, I know, will decipher it if it
is possible, . , , I must tell you that all our troops are in
the best health possible.
' P.S, — If you direct to me as Assistant Quartermaster-
General, serving with Lord Cathcart's army, it will find me ;
don't send anything under cover to Lord Cathcart, because it
will be giving him trouble to no purpose.'

78 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1807.
' Dramendorf, Island of Rugen : August 1, 1807.
' My dear Sophia, — I am afraid you will be surprised
at not having received a second letter frora rae earlier, but I
have not had any opportunity of sending off a letter since the
day I landed, when I was so fortunate in raeeting with a
messenger. We are as yet very inconveniently situated in
this particular ; for although there must undoubtedly have
been several opportunities of sending letters by ship sailing
hence to England, there have as yet been no steps taken to
give us notice.
' I was placed the other day in a situation that was the most
tantalising that can possibly be imagined; for In one of my
rambles round this part of the country upon duty, whom
should I meet upon the high-road but another messenger, who
was making the best of his way with despatches for England,
and could not wait a moment ; so that in future I mean to
carry in my pocket, whenever I go out, a letter ready sealed
and directed, to pop into the hands of the first gentleman of
this description that I may chance to meet. We are equally
ill off with regard to receiving letters. None of us, I
believe, have received any ; so that, although I feel very
anxious to hear from you, I am not at all surprised at its being
otherwise. ... I am very glad I have had an opportunity
of going into Stralsund, and I have been very much gratified
with all I have seen there. I had a great curiosity to see the
King of Sweden. I arrived too late to be introduced to him,
as raost of Lord Cathcart's staff were ; but I saw him on the
parade afterwards. From all that has passed, it appears that
he means seriously to defend Stralsund to the last. Lord
Cathcart and the whole staff are in this island ; only three
battalions of the German legion are in Stralsund, and as a
reinforcement has just arrived to the King from Finland, it is
supposed that those three battalions will also join the camp
which is now assembled at Gnatz. They marched upon the
ground that very day, and your humble servant has had the
supreme felicity of sketching the encarapraent and the ground
above it, under a broiling sun the whole day. The weather

.asT. 22.] Sir William, Maynard Gom^n. 79
has really beeii hotter here ever since our arrival than I ever
felt it in England. We have certainly been more exposed.
I assure you we have a very busy time of It here, and there
have literally been very few moments in which I could find
time to write to you, had fifty opportunities offered of my
sending a letter. The French have not yet begun the siege —
that Is to say, they have not yet opened their fire upon the
town. It is said they expect a large train of artillery from
Liibeck. It is the opinion of every one that Stralsund may
hold out, If the King chooses to defend it— as he has hitherto
given us reason to suppose he does — until the winter sets In,
and then It will be difficult to keep the ice constantly broke,
and the enemy may take the place by storm ; but it is so sur
rounded by water, and of such an extent, that at this season of
the year It Is considered impregnable. I dare say you will
recollect it is the town which the famous Wallenstein, the
Austrian general in the Thirty Years' war, declared he would
take, although it were bound with chains to heaven. He was
forced, notwithstanding, to raise the siege, and the day Is still
kept as a day of rejoicing. I happened to be in Stralsund
the very day of the anniversary, and I scarcely spoke to a
person belonging to the town who did not immediately give
me to understand that this was " Wallenstein's Day." It
likewise stood a famous siege when defended by Charles XII.
against the three crowns, and its gates have raany a proud
inscription in consequence.
' The Swedes have taken my fancy very much. It Is said
their dress is very nearly the same that was worn In the time
of Gustavus Adolphus. This, you may naturally suppose,
forms a very striking contrast with our fancy dresses and
fashions of the day ; and, to tell you the truth, I think the
comparison is far from being to their disadvantage. Some of
them look as if they were setting out for the wars in Pales
tine. Their soldiers appear highly respectable, and their
officers  those we have had to do with— are men of education
and excellent manners. We have certainly seen the best of
the flock, as they are those who are always about the King.

8o The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1807
' I long very much to have an opportunity of giving
Colonel Douglas an account of all I have seen that could
interest him, although as yet I have very little information of
any description to communicate,. I am at present so busy in
sketching the country that I have not a moment to attend to
anything else. Will you, however, mention to him, with
remembrance from me, that I shall take the first oppor
tunity of writing him the little Information I can at present
give him ? and pray tell him, too, that with the best inclina
tion In the world, had I even had all my time to rayself, I
should scarcely have had an opportunity yet of sending a
single letter off.
' \.th. — Still we have no Intelligence of a conveyance of letters
to England, In the meantime we find you have sent us a most
formidable fleet into the Baltic, and the latest papers mention
that a very strong force is upon the point of sailing from
England ; we alraost begin to hope there is something more in
this than we are aware of. It would give me very great plea
sure if, before I return home, I could have it In my power to
pay my aunt Briihl a visit, but I am afraid the thought
itself is almost romantic, I certainly should like to see as
rauch of this part of the Continent before I return as possible,
and even to go as far as Petersburg, if the state of affairs
should unfortunately force us again to return to a state of
inactivity. We have learnt a great deal of the state of affairs
in Poland from a Colonel Bathurst, a son of the Bishop of
Norwich, who went out as a volunteer to the Russian army.
I find it is to be done with so little expense, and It is In every
respect so feasible, that if ever a war should break out again
upon the Continent, and we are not actively employed, I shall
dun you all for your voices in getting rae leave to go over as a
volunteer. By-the-bye, I inquired from him about the young
Count Woronzow, and I was very glad to hear that he had
not been wounded at Eylau, as General Benson had reason to
fear, but that really he had received a kick from his horse.
Will you remember me very respectfully to the Count and
Countess when you see them ? . . . Have you heard from

iET. 22.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 8 1
Henry since he arrived at Gibraltar ? By-the-bye, some
letters arrived with all this news the other day — but only two
or three, so that I had plenty of disappointed ones to keep me
company. ' Qtli. — I have only a moraent to spare, having just heard
that despatches are immediately going off to England, We
are told that we are all going to return ; I know not what
truth there is in the report. . . .'
It raay be raentioned as a proof of the small and compact
character of Capt. Gomm's handwriting at this time that the
whole of the above letter, and fully fifteen lines more which
are omitted as not being likely to be of general interest, are
written on three sides only of an ordinary square sheet of letter
paper. 'Head Quarters before Copenhagen : August 21, 1807.
' My dear Sophia,— I hear there Is a possibility of a
vessel sailing for England to-morrow. I shall not lose the
chance of letting you hear from me, more particularly as you
will probably be at a loss to imagine in what part of the world
we are, after my having said in my last letter that we ex
pected immediately to return to England. Little did I think
when I wrote then that we were Intended for this enterprise,
which Is certainly finer, and meets our ideas more than
anything that we have yet been engaged in. We sailed from
Rugen about a week ago, and upon our arrival here we found
the English force dlsejnbarklng. We of course knew before
we sailed that Copenhagen was our destination ; but whether
we were to corae as friends or enemies remained a doubt,
which, however, was in part removed by the Crown Batteries
opening a fire upon us as we passed before the town to the
place of debarkation. But when in the morning we saw the
troops landing without any appearance of opposition, there
was a sort of contradiction in all this that we were at a loss to
account for. The truth of the business is that the Danes
have been taken so corapletely by surprise, and so little time
had they to prepare themselves for our reception, that literally
G

82 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1807.
the whole 17,000 raen— which they say the English Infantry
consists of — were on shore before they could bring down their
force to oppose them. They certainly were In the act of doing
this when we landed. It Is said the garrison does not consist
of more than 5,000 or 6,000 men, but a very small number
are required to present a very forraidable opposition to an
array In the act of landing. We disembarked at a village
near Charlottenbund, which is a palace belonging to the Queen,
about five English miles frora the town towards Elslnore, I
think the landing began on the 15th, and the whole were on
shore In the course of the following day, I did not land till
the 16th, The six battalions of the Gerraan Legion were
kept at anchor in Kjoge Bay, under Lord Rosslyn, to await
further orders. Of course Mr. Harrison is with them. Only
the light artillery and cavalry came with Lord Cathcart. The
army invested the town ou the 16th, with very little oppo
sition ; and the siege is now going on with all possible ex
pedition. All supplies are cut off from Holstein by means of
our fieet In the Belt. The passage is very well watched ; as
an instance of it I shall only tell you that the Crown Prince
has been taken in crossing over from this island, but as it
happened before hostilities comraenced he was not detained.
The Royal Faraily have all left the Island. I am sure you
will all be very rauch pleased with the manner in which the
Princesses were treated the day after the town was invested.
Their Royal Highnesses applied to Lord Cathcart, requesting
he would grant them a passage through the lines, which was
of course granted them, but in the handsomest manner, and
the Guards paid thera railltary honours as they passed along
their front. I am sure Miss Goldsworthy will say after this
that we shall one day become rivals of the Spaniards in gal
lantry. You raust not forget either to tell Mdlle. Montmolin
this story, that she may entertain some hopes of our honest
countrymen in this respect ; but, upon second thoughts, we
raust not make too much of it, because it will appear such a
rarity, and we hope to have many opportunities of acting a
similar part before we see you again. You all know, of course,

MT. 22.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 8

o

the object Government had in view when they sent out this
force ; but almost all pity the situation in which Denmark is
placed — the more resistance she makes, the more we must admire
her spirit. But we are at the same time convinced that, situ
ated as we are with regard to France, the measure adopted by
our Government is most wise and politic. The country about
Copenhagen is beautiful. One naturally expects to find the
land In a high state of cultivation near the capital of a State,
but Nature has had a greater share In it. The whole island,
by all accounts. Is equally beautiful. The weather Is remark
ably fine, and all the troops are in the best health possible.
We are quartered In villages and private houses — I mean
gentlemen's seats, of which there are a great number in the
neighbourhood of Copenhagen, and all of which have been
deserted by the owners, who have all fled into Copenhagen.
Some of these houses are fitted up in the most elegant man
ner, and the grounds about them in the highest order. The
officers are in general quartered in these houses, so that It is
to be hoped as little damage will be done as possible. Sir
George Ludlow is quartered in the Palace at Frederiksberg,
on the right of our line ; but, strange to say, he is worse off
than any of us, for everything has been moved off, so that he
has nothing but the empty house left him, whereas In almost
all the private houses the whole of the furniture has been left.
And so little did they expect a visit of this sort from us, that
in many instances they appear to have left their houses with
as much as they could scrape together in the course of ten
minutes, leaving the rest to its fate. We understand the house
we are in belonged to a countess, but we have not yet been
able to learn the name. The house is called Tuborg : it is on
the high road from Charlottenbund to Copenhagen, about two
miles from the town, I do not know whether you have maps
upon a sufficiently large scale to enable you to find out my
quarters, but you will be very well able to judge where It is,
I have got my horse quite safe, I am happy to tell you, , , ,
'2\st. — I have just heard that despatches went off for Eng
land yesterday. It is a pity they do not give us some kind

84 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1807.
of notice when anything of this sort is to take place, but there
is certainly the most profound secrecy observed upon the
subject. However, as a fresh brigade arrived last night, under
General MacFarlane, they will of course send off intelligence
of it immediately. I shall, therefore, send this to head
quarters to take its chance. I have dated my letter from
headquarters, but Lord Cathcart is at a short distance In our
rear. . , ,'
His next letter is a short one to his sister, dated ' Before
Copenhagen, September 2, 1807,' in which he speaks of having
to relate only the dry details of a siege in which are no great
risks or hardships to describe. He adds 1 —
' We have been very fortunate in cutting off supplies from
the town, and you may very soon expect to hear of its being
in our possession. . . . You have, of course, heard that Stral
sund has been evacuated by the King of Sweden, He was
threatened by an insurrection among his own people after we
left him, which rendered It impossible for him to make longer
resistance, however it might have been before.'
' Camp before Copenhagen : September 7, 1807.
' My dear Sophia, — Copenhagen has capitulated. Our
Grenadiers raarched into the citadel at five o'clock this morn
ing. The terms of the capitulation are that the whole of the
fleet — consisting of twenty-two sail of the line and smaller
vessels, altogether forty in number — together with all the
naval stores in the arsenal, are to be surrendered to us as
prizes. Lord Cathcart's son sets off to-morrow with the de
spatches relating to this capture, and I could not let him go
without letting you into the secret, although I make no doubt
you will have heard the news — although possibly not the true
news — before this comes to your hands, for our good English
newspapers have been wonderfully beforehand with us
hitherto, having told us the other day that Copenhagen had
already fallen ; but we are not a little offended with their say
ing that everything had been done by Admiral Gambler, and

MT. 22.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 85
poor Lord Cathcart and the army were never once raentloned.
However, you will find we have all had a finger in the pie,
and I believe everything has been done that was required or
expected from us ; and now that we have no further occasion
to steel our hearts against all the feelings of humanity, I think
it raay be allowed us to reflect upon the scenes that have just
passed before our eyes, and indeed they have been raost dis
tressing. For three nights successively the town has been
bombarded without intermission ; it was in flames a quarter of
an hour after the bombardment began, and continued so In a
slight degree the whole of Thursday. But at night the
timber-yard took fire, and the conflagration became much more
general during the whole of Friday ; and the wind, which was
high during the whole of the time, carrying the flames directly
over the town. Increased it to such a degree that on Friday
night the appearance was rather that of a volcano during a
violent eruption than anything I can conceive. The sight was
dreadful, but it was truly magnificent ; the church of Notre
Dame, the cathedral and the church, which raade the finest
appearance in the town, fell to the ground at five in the morn
ing, and nothing Is standing but the bare foundation. Do us
the justice to believe that we felt the horrors of this scene in
all its extent ; and Imagine us at the same time redoubling our
exertions as the calamity increased, and throwing showers of
shells towards the parts where the fire raged most to render
ineffectual the raeans employed to extinguish it. But now,
indeed, I believe all human efforts were vain had the wind
continued ; and setting this aside, the fire from our batteries
was so tremendous that no means could be employed towards
checking Its progress. It was owing to these circumstances,
after more than one third of their town had been burnt, that
the Danes sent out a flag of truce offering terms of capitu
lation, which the whole of yesterday and to-day have been
employed in arranging, and which are at length brought to a
conclusion as I have stated to you. It will give you all
pleasure to learn that the women and children, and most
of those incapable of bearing arms, had flocked in great

86 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1807.
nurabers to the island of Amager, on the other side of the
town, where our fire had no effect ; but I am sorry to say
there are melancholy stories enough left to relate, which would
be as painful for rae to recall to ray recollection as for you to
hear told. We have not been able to learn what numbers
have fallen in the town — they must be considerable. While I
declared to you that we were not without feelings while we
were in the most vigorous discharge of those most painful
duties, I should not have forgot to mention our commander-in-
chief, for he little deserves to be omitted here, I believe he
has suffered more than any one man in the army. The idea of
a bombardraent is shocking to humanity. It has been the prac
tice among nations of late to open a siege by this measure; it
was done at Valenciennes ; it was done at Dantzic ; it Is always
done. But though it is sanctioned by the laws of war, it is
always more becoming, and a measure of more enlightened war
fare, to attack a town in any other way than by distressing the
Inhabitants ; and particularly in the instance of a capital which
is supposed to be the seat of everything that is worthy of being
respected. But in raany Instances the time and means neces
sary for a regular attack are wanting, as in the present one,
where time is everything to us. The season is so far advanced
that the raost speedy and effectual means of reducing the place
were necessary to be employed. Nothing could be a greater
proof of Lord Cathcart's feelings on this occasion than his
having given orders before the bombardment commenced that
the firing should cease the moment a trumpet sounded from
the place, and from the moment the flag of truce appeared not
a shot was fired ; In short, he has taken every opportunity of
showing a moderation which would not have been practised in
a thousand instances of the same nature. And we rejoice that
it Is so ; for although our situation as a nation may be such as
to warrant strong and even violent measures, none can con
template with indifference the situation of this country : they
have not lost their honour. Nor could we have done less than
we have done, considering our numbers and means. It raight
have been more prudent In them could they have reconciled it

JET. 22.] Sir IVilliam Maynard Gomm. 87
to theraselves to have submitted to the terms proposed before
the bombardment, which, I understand, were much raore
favourable ; in which the fleet were only to be taken as a
pledge, and the damage done to the country by our army —
which is considerable — to be made good. But these terms
wererejected. I am in hopes I shall soon be able to give you an
account of the town; at present I have only been as far as the
citadel. It was at once a fine and a distressing sight to see
our troops take possession of the citadel. We could not feel
proud of It, for no great difficulties had been encountered.
We certainly should have attempted everything imraediately
if the bombardment had not succeeded in reducing the town.
Sir Home Popham has taken a very active part in the pro
ceedings of the treaty.
' I ara alraost afraid aunt and Miss Goldsworthy will have
nothing raore to say to rae after this account ; but we must
endeavour to convince you when we meet that we were only
mischievous from a good principle.' 'Copenhagen: October 19, 1807.
' My dear Sophia, — We are at this moraent all erabarked,
and as the armistice is at an end this day we shall of course
move out as far as we can, although the wind is so contrary
that we can hardly expect to make much progress on our pas
sage, so long as it continues In the sarae quarter. As you will
be expecting us all home iraraediately, I take advantage of the
best opportunity. I think often of letting you know that there
Is a chance of ray not paying you a visit so early as you may
have at first supposed. You have no doubt heard in England
of the intention of sending part of our array to Sw^eden. The
choice has been left rae of reraaining with this part, and I hope
you will not disapprove of my having accepted of the offer,
although we shall not meet quite so soon as we have hitherto
been led to expect. At the sarae time the sending this force to
Sweden is, I know frora the best authority, not at all decided
upon at this raoraent. I believe it will depend upon the
huraour in which we find the king when we arrive either at

88 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1807,
Malmo or Helsingor, for it is the intention that the whole
fleet should in the first instance proceed to the Swedish coast.
At all events if any force remains I shall be of the party. I
was this morning addressed In the kindest manner by General
Spencer ; he told me he had received a letter from Windsor
mentioning me, and that it would at all times give him great
pleasure to be of any service to me. This is particularly for
tunate for me, as he is to be of the Swedish army, and to have
the command of the only brigade of British that remains ; the
rest are all German. I confess I have been very idle in not
having written to you since we took possession of Copenhagen,
but I thought at that time there was a certainty of our meeting
so soon that I flattered rayself it would be much more pleasing
to you to receive an account of the town and our proceedings
frora your hurable servant in person than by writing. I had
likewise meant to bring you home, each of you, a few knick-
knacks, among the rest a little music for your ladyship which
is much admired here, which has never yet been published in
England — some operas of Par, etc. I hope they will not be
out of date by the time I present them. I do not like sending
them in any other way, as there is still so great 'a chance of
our raeeting soon. , . ,
' Thank Miss Goldsworthy a thousand tiraes for her kind
ness in raentloning rae to General Spencer, for I am sure it has
been through her means that he has been spoken to about
me. . . . '
The diversion to Sweden evidently was not effected, since
his next letter shows their speedy arrival in England.
'Yarmouth: October 30, 1807.
' Dear Sophia, — We are again upon English ground,
after rather an unpleasant passage. We anchored here this
morning. Lord Cathcart arrived last night, and proceeded to
town this morning before our arrival ; very few of the vessels
have arrived yet. I set off for town to-morrow morning, and
as there are four of us we propose posting It. I shall therefore

^T. 22.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 89
not be in town till Saturday, and I cannot propose to pay my
respects to you at Windsor till Monday or Tuesday, as it will
be necessary for me to report myself to General Brownrigg and
Lord Cathcart. I will call immediately on General Benson.
I am in haste for fear of missing the post, so that I must only
beg of you to give my best love to aunt, and remember me
most kindly to Miss Goldsworthy. ' Your affectionate brother,
' William Gomm.'
Politically speaking, there are few chapters in our modern
history of which we as a nation have more need to be ashamecl
than this wanton destruction of Copenhagen. It was no ex
cuse that the conduct of Napoleon was a determined proscrip
tion of England from the face of European society, so far as his
influence could extend; although the 'frank exposition' of their
motives which the ministry put forth in the name of the king, says
that ' His Majesty feels confident that, in the eyes of Europe
and of the world, the justification of his conduct will be found
in the commanding and indispensable duty paramount to all
others among the obligations of a sovereign of providing while
there was yet time for the Iramediate security of his people.'
The exposition proceeds to say that intelligence had been re
ceived that Napoleon was determined either to borrow or to
take the whole Danish fleet, and that Denmark would not be
sufficiently powerful even If willing to resist such a demand,
consequently his Majesty had proposed to take temporary
possession of that fleet, but as In the most unwarrantable way
Denmark had refused so kind an offer, ' His Majesty was re
luctantly compelled to draw his sword' (in other words to invade
the territory of a nation which was not our enemy, to kill its
subjects, to destroy its capital, and to seize its fleet), ' acting
solely upon a sense of what was due to the security of his own
dominions, and not desirous for any object of advantage or
aggrandisement to carry measures of hostility beyond the limits
of the necessity which has produced them.'
The reply of Denmark was raost dignified. It speaks of the

QO Tlie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1807.
long-observed rigid neutrality of their conduct hitherto, and
comments with virtuous Indignation on the unjustifiable and
sudden attack upon an undefended coast. It says : ' The
Danish Government saw the English ships of war upon
their coast without even the conjecture that they were to
be employed against Denraark. The island of Zealand was
surrounded, the capital threatened, the Danish territory violated
and injured, before the Court of London had made use of a
single word to express the hostility of Its feelings. Europe
will with difficulty believe what it will hear. The barest, the
raost violent and cruel object, has no other foundation than
some pretended Information or rumour of an attempt, which
according to the English ministry was to have taken place in
order to draw Denraark into a hostile alliance against Great
Britain. ' Upon these pretended grounds, which the least degree of
discussion would have removed, the English Government
declared to the Court of Denmark in the most imperious
manner, that in order to secure its own interests, and to pro
vide for its own safety, it would leave Denmark no other choice
than a war or a close alliance with Great Britain. And what
kind of alliance did they offer ? An alliance the first guarantee
of which, as a pledge of submission, was that Denmark was to
deliver up all her ships of war to the British Government.
There could be no hesitation as to the alternative that was to
be adopted. Placed between danger and dishonour, the
Danish Government had no choice. Attacked in the most
unexpected and dishonourable manner, exposed In a separate
province, and In a manner cut off frora all the raeans of defence,
and forced Into an unequal contest, she could not flatter her
self with escaping a very material injury.
' But let impartial critics judge whether England was
under the political necessity of sacrificing another State with
out hesitation to her own safety, a State which had neither
offended nor provoked her.
' The Governraent of Denraark believes it has a right to
reckon upon the interest and justice of the Cabinets of Europe,

MI. 22,] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 91
and hopes for the effects of the same on the part of those illus
trious sovereigns whose objects and alliances have served the
English for a pretext to the raost crying act of injustice and
violence which even in England every noble and generous
raind will disown, which deforras the character of a virtuous
sovereign, and will ever remain a scandal in the annals of Great
Britain.' It Is fortunate for the English student that few such pages
of dishonour mar the annals of her history ; and It is not till
seventy years have passed that a similarly disgraceful act has
been perpetrated In her narae. The invasion of Afghanistan
in 1878-79 offers almost an exact parallel. Then, as now, the
only possible pretext for the invasion was ' the security of our
empire ; ' then, as now, we were really striking at the supposed
machinations of the powerful (French then, Russian now) by
crushing the weak, to whom then, as now, we offered the alter
native of an alliance or a war ; then, as now, we said we had
no objects of aggrandisement, while then we seized a fleet,
and now a frontier ; then, as now, the eneray could do nothing
against us without the aid of the great foe behind, which in
neither case carae to help its cat's-paw ; then, as now, we tried
to make the success of our soldiers cast Into oblivion the iniquity
of our cause, and by the praises of the army to drown the re
monstrances of outraged humanity; and lastly, when at the open
ing of Parliament the question of our justification in their going
to war was brought on, then, as now, the ministry was supported
by large majorities In both Houses. The parallel indeed seems
most coraplete, with one important exception, viz. that In 1808
we were at war with the great foe behind Denmark, whereas in
1878 we were at peace and actually on a friendly footing with
Russia, the favourable reception of whose mission forraed our
only possible complaint against Afghanistan.
From Captain Gomm's letters from the spot we have seen
how thoroughly distasteful to our brave soldiers was the work
which had fallen to their lot, and it may readily be believed
with what astonishraent they heard that the Government had at

92 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
the opening of Parliament in 1808 proposed votes of thanks
to them from both Houses. It is no light compliment when
the rising ambition of a young soldier is flattered by such a
letter as the following : — ' Gloster Place : February 1, 1808.
' Sir, — I take the earliest opportunity of transmitting to
you a copy of the resolution of the House of Lords and of those
of the House of Coraraons dated January 28, 1808, which
contains the thanks of both Houses of Parliament to the army
lately employed in Zealand.
' In communicating to you this most signal mark of the
approbation of the Parliament of the United Kingdoms of
Great Britain and Ireland, allow me to add my warmest con
gratulations upon a distinction which you have had so Import
ant a share in obtaining for his Majesty's forces, together
with the assurances of the truth and regard with which
' I have the honour to be, Sir,
' Your most obedient humble servant,
' To Captain Gomm, ' Cathcart, L.G.
Assist. Deputy Quartermaster-General
on the late expedition to the Baltic'
Captain Gorara was, however, too honest and straightfor
ward a man not to see through the gilding of the pill. He
writes thus to his sister when he is cautioning her not to give
him more credit than he deserves -.—^
' By-the-bye, my Lord Chancellor has done nearly the
sarae thing with a great many of us lately, and as I know how
dangerous the example of the great is, I think it necessary
to give you this warning. Now, after all, I think there must
have been something selfish in this proceeding of the Parlia
ment of which I have already given you an account, I have
been considering a long tirae what could have possessed them
to sell their thanks so cheaply, and, indeed, I think it is only
doing justice to their understandings to suppose that they
mean to gain sorae credit to themselves in allowing us so much,
and that they are going upon the old principle " the less they
deserve the raore merit is there in your bounty ! " '

MT. 23.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 93

CHAPTER V,

1808.

Ireland— AtiMost joins Sie John Moore's ExpediticIn to Sweden-
Assistant QUABTEEMAaTBR-GBNEKAL — EXPEDITION TO SPAIN UNDER
Sir a. Wellesley — Lands at Mondego Bay^Battlb of E0L19A —
Battle op Vimiera — Convention op Cintba — LisbOn.
On his return from Zealand Captain Gomm had to rejoin his
regiment, the 9th, which was then quartered at Mallow in
Ireland. His letters to his sister from the country which he
calls ' the house of bondage ' are chiefly occupied with his
anticipations of getting his majority (which, however, he did
not get till three years later), and bis anxiety again to proceed
on active service. In April 1808 his aunt. Miss Jane Gomm,
and her inseparable friend Miss Goldsworthy, appear to have
resigned their appointments at Court, and having so long
lived together at Lower Lodge, Windsor, wisely determined
not to separate, but took a house together at 11 Chapel Street,
South Audley Street, London, whither they moved before the
end of the month, bringing of course Captain Gomm's sister
Sophia with them. Miss Goldsworthy had been at the Court
with the Princesses ever since 1774, and Miss Jane Goram
from not long after ; it was quite natural, therefore, that after
so long a union they should decide on living together. From
the first every letter of William Gomm's to his sister had
ended with affectionate messages to Miss Goldsworthy as well
as to his aunt.
In his letter dated from Mallow, May 1, 1808, Captain
Gomm says : ' It was only two or three days ago that we
heard Sir John Moore had sailed, or even that preparations
were carrying on for the embarkation of his force. It does

94 Tlie Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8O8.
Infinite credit to the Ministry. General Brownrigg has
written to us to say that there is an idea of a reinforcement
shortly following this force, and that, should this be the case,
he will endeavour to make roora for us among the number.
I do not know how it Is, but we always manage to come in
at the close of the hunt. ... I have written to General
Brownrigg to request he will allow me to serve in this expe
dition In some way or other, and to request his Interest for
procuring for me an appointment on the Quartermaster-
General's Staff, or on any other in which a vacancy may be
most conveniently found. I am principally afraid, however,
that I am too late in my application, for everything has been
done with such admirable secrecy that we were not aware of
any Intention to send out a force to Sweden till within a very
few days, or rather we supposed that the project had been
abandoned altogether. There is no service I am more anxious
to be employed upon, and no general under whom I am so
desirous of serving, as Sir John Moore, However enterprising
the projects of Sweden and England may be thought in this
instance, I think they are far frora being roraantic, and if that
hireling Emperor of Russia and his banditti are made to starve
in Finland, I shall be much more gratified if I can be favoured
with a sight of it than by anything I can learn frora hearsay.
At all events, I think we cannot go too far in assisting the
King of Sweden, while we provide at the same time for our
own security.'
It was a fortunate thing for Captain Gorara that his wish
to join Sir John Moore's expedition to Sweden was not
fulfilled, for from beginning to end it was a most unsatisfactory
affair. Sir John Moore was sent out in command of an army
which was to go to Gothenburg to aid the King of Sweden
against his enemies. No specific plans were made, but Sir
John was sent out to Gothenburg, uot exactly to be under tbe
King of Sweden, but to do whatever he was asked to do
by the king, ' if Sir John thought proper, and if he was
ordered to do so from England.' Nothing could be more in
definite, and a fiasco Avas inevitable. The army on al-rival at

MT. 2-3.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 95
Gothenburg was not permitted to land, and the King of
Sweden insisted positively that it should be absolutely under
his command. He then ordered Sir John Moore first to attack
Zealand, and then to land at VIborg to threaten St. Peters
burg ; and, losing his temper when Sir John pointed out the
impossibility of the schemes proposed, the king finally placed
him In arrest, ordering him not to leave Stockholm without
his permission. Sir John Moore was not, however, the man tamely to
submit to such indignity, and he accordingly at once, with the
connivance of the British Minister, Mr. Thornton, who had
immediately on hearing of the arrest remonstrated with the
Swedish Government, escaped from Stockholm to Gothenburg,
where he erabarked ; and the wind fortunately proving favour
able, at once set sail and brought the ships, from which the
troops had never disembarked for raore than two months, back
to England. Here Lord Castlereagh received him at first
coldly, but the King and the Duke of York approved highly
of his conduct.
That Sir John Moore was justified in resisting the demands
of the King of Sweden was soon made more clear by the in
creasing insanity of that monarch, who, before another year
had passed, was deposed by his people, no hand being raised in
his defence.It was not, however, for service in Sweden that the force
then assembling at Cork was destined, but for another part
of Europe and against another of the great Emperor's machi
nations. In the previous October, under a so-called treaty
with Spain for the partition of Portugal, the French army had
entered Spain en route for Portugal ; but in the early months
of 1808 Spain found that Napoleon's plans were directed more
against herself than against Portugal, But though deserted
and betrayed by their leaders, there still seeraed some patriotism
in the Spaniards, who were against the French, although
Charles IV. and Ferdinand VII. had basely abdicated, and
had actually handed over the monarchy of Spain and the West
Indies for a home aud a pension.

96 The' Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
Part, however, of the nation, beginning with the Asturlans,
loyally rose against the Government of France, and sent
deputies to England to ask for assistance.
In June, Napoleon brought over his elder brother Joseph,
who was a pliant tool in his hands, from Naples, and proclaimed
him King of Spain ; and the English Government therefore
determined to despatch a force to the Peninsula to assist the
Spanish patriots.
It was this expedition that Captain Gomm was now about
to join, although no rumours of it had as yet reached the
regiment in their ' house of bondage,' 'Mallow: June I, 1808.
' My dear Sophia, — Our destination is changed, and 1
hope you will agree with us in thinking for the better, though
we shall probably not have an opportunity of meeting so soon
as we promised ourselves. General Brownrigg has written to
us to say that as soon as the transports arrive at Cork, we are
to sail In corapany with the 40th and 91st Regiments, now on
board at that port, in the first instance for Gibraltar, The
prospect of raeeting Henry so unexpectedly, I assure you, is
not the least pleasing part to rae in this arrangement. The
General further says that upon our arrival at Gibraltar we
raay expect to be immediately employed upon active service ;
and sorae of us are roraantic enough to fiatter ourselves that
the coast of Spain is ultimately our point of destination. The
country is stated to be in a sad state of disorder, but unless we
are confident of being received a bras ouverts, such an atterapt
I should think would not be made, I am more glad than I
can express to you at the prospect of being employed in the
Mediterranean. If I meet with General Spencer, I shall " boo"
very indefatigably for a staff appointment, or Miss Goldsworthy's
kindness in procuring rae an introduction to hira, and so flatter
ing a one, would be quite thrown away upon me. I have re
ceived an answer to ray application to General Brownrigg,
very civil, but as no reinforceraent was for the present fitting
out for the array in Sweden, It was not in his power to comply
with my wishes immediately. I am sorry I did not bring my

iET. 23.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 97
Spanish books with rae when I left England. I would give
anything for thera now. I do not think I have forgotten what
I had learnt of it, and the prospect before rae would be an
additional induceraent to iraprove.' 'Mallow: June 11, 1808.
' General Hill, who takes the coraraand of the force going
frora this country until they arrive at Gibraltar, has received
his final instructions from the Duke of York ; and all are ready
but the ships.
' You have seen in the paper a list of the regiments under
orders from this country ; they amount, I should think, to
about six thousand men. It is said Sir Arthur Wellesley is
to command (which, by the way, I am very glad of) ; but I
should think he would join us at Gibraltar.' 'AVednesday morning, 8 o'clock.
' We have just had intelligence by express that the trans
ports have arrived. We raarch to-raorrow, and embark on
Friday.' ' Cork : June 19, 1808.
' The regiment embarked on Friday, and I go on board to
day. ' We have three very fine transports allotted to us : the
Defence, Active, and Oxford. The Defence is the headquarter
ship, and I am fortunate enough to be on board it ; but they
are all reraarkably fine vessels. We are all ready to sail im
mediately, unless some alteration is made in the disposition.'
[Here follow great complaints of his having been deceived
and falsely promised a staff appointment. He is very Indignant
at the dishonesty of this.]
' On board tbe Defence, Cove of Cork : June 25, 1808.
' My dear Sophia, — With great joy I have it in my
power to tell you that I am appointed Assistant Quartermaster-
General to go with the expedition.
' I received the notification of my appointment yesterday
from General Calvert, the Adjutant- General. I believe I am
H

gS The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
indebted to the Duke of York's goodness In this instance. I
cannot express to you how happy I feel in going out as I do
with so raany raore advantages and with so much raore flatter
ing prospects than in the last instance, ray regiment belno'
appointed to the same service, and being fortunate enouo-h to
have made the acquaintance of several principal officers em-
ph)yed. General Hill in particular, who I am convinced will
show me every kindness. I am not acquainted with Sir
Arthur Wellesley. I dare say you recollect Captain Langton
and  , who were examined at the sarae time as myself.
They have been appointed by General Brownrigg to serve on
the same staff, and Captain Campbell likewise.
' Of our destination I shall say nothing ; we all conclude it
is Spain, and I raay add we fervently hope it. However,
should it even be for a longer voyage I shall scarcely feel less
happy. I believe we are as romantic In our expectations as
ever knight errant of the fifteenth century was.
' Sir Arthur is In Dublin, and is expected here every day ;
on his arrival we shall be able to form some Idea of the time
we may expect to be detained here. There is a report that we
are to wait for more transports, I have been most fortunate
in meeting with a horse. , , ,' 'Cove: Julys, 1808.
' With regard to our destination I can say nothing more
with certainty ; if the late important news from Spain and
the Mediterranean Is confirmed, there is no dcmbt of our going
there. Heaven send it may be so !
' The Donegal, of 74 guns, is our convoy. The Resistance
and Crocodile frigates likewise accorapany us; they are all
here, and we seem only to be waiting for Sir Arthur, who, we
understand. Is waiting in Dublin, until he receives his final
orders. Indeed, reports are in every one's mouth of his being
hourly expected ; but this has continued for the last ten days.
' My reliance on General Hill's kindness was not ill-founded.
He commands the expedition, In the absence of Sir Arthur;
and the Crocodile has been allotted for him and his staff; and
he has offered to take me in the same ship with him, provided

iET. 23.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 99
there is roora. There Is the raore kindness In this, because the
officers of the Quarterraaster-General's Departraent forra no
part of his staff, and it is therefore quite voluntary.' 'Cove: July 9, 1808.
' I am now going to write to you, I think I may say,
positively for the last time previous to our sailing, Sir Arthur
Wellesley came down to Cork yesterday ; he is now here, and
we are given to understand that everything is to be on board
to-night, and that to-raorrow we shall sail. I think nothing
can detain us beyond Monday.
' The astonishing news we have lately received from Spain
has set us all agog; and I may safely venture to assure you
that Spain is going to import a whole family of Don Quixotes
with the English army. I have great hopes that General
Spencer has taken with him several regiments from Gibraltar,
among others the 6th ; and in this case, I have no doubt. Sir
Hugh would allow Henry to go with him on the Cadiz ex
pedition. ' Is not Miss Goldsworthy delighted with her Spaniards ?
I do not know anything in the world that gives me so much
joy as the Idea of going among them. It is the finest cause
we can be engaged in, and it is of all countries that which I
wish most to see next to Italy. Really, I don't know what is
too extravagant to expect, if things go on as they have done
by the late accounts ; it looks as if Europe was going to throw
off her 'nighted colour while this extraordinary raortal was
hastening to his decline. When he once begins to fall he will
topple headlong. In case of separation our vessels have re
ceived directions to rendezvous in Tangier Bay, I should
hope, however, that we shall be landed somewhere in the north
of Spain,' • At anchor, Mondego Bay : July 28, 1808.
' We arrived here on the 26th ; our passage was tedious,
but far from being a bad one ; we did not experience one day's
bad weather, in the language of sailors. The whole fleet have
arrived perfectly safe, and, I am happy to add, in perfect health.
H 2

lOO The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
We are among friends ; nothing can exceed the joy the people
testify upon our arrival. No French in our neighbourhood,
and we have reason to believe they have concentrated their
whole force in Lisbon; they are said to amount to 13,000; we
are upwards of 8,000. Sir John Moore is coming out imme
diately with the whole Swedish army. There are said to b e
8,000 Portuguese at Leyria, thirty miles from hence, waiting
to join us ; regular troops they are called, but we are contented
if they are an armed mob ; they prove the disposition of the
country. Nothing can exceed the inveteracy they express
against the French ; and the Portuguese are jealous of the
success that is attending the Spaniards. To detail to you the
numerous advantages that attend us at our setting out would
be to write you a long letter, and this I have not time to do.
It is reported Sir Hew Dalrymple will command in chief.
How fortunate for Henry, if it is so. Sir A. Wellesley went
several days ago to Lisbon, to consult with Sir C. Cotton, who
commands the squadron off the port ; he Is expected hourly,
and our landing Is expected to be the Immediate consequence.
My horse is in better order than when it went on board. I
know not when this will reach j'OU, or when It will leave this ;
I have ten minutes of idle time, and whenever you get It, it
will be a pleasure to hear that our undertaking is attended
with the most flattering prospects, and our cause the finest, I
believe, that ever employed English army before. General
Spencer does not join us here ; they say he is off Lisbon with
his force ; I will endeavour to learn something more about him
before I seal this. General Beresford with his army is coming
to join us from Madeira. The weather is delightful. I have
time to write to no one else now ; but you can communicate
with those I should write to, had I time.
'29th. — I have just heard that General Spencer's force is
expected to join us here immediately. Sir J. Moore's force is
hourly expected. Lord Burghersh arrived here yesterday with
despatches (important ones, it Is thought) for Sir A. Wellesley ;
he is likewise hourly expected from Lisbon. There is a packet
making up on board the Donegal, but it is by no means certain

XT. 23.] Sir IVilliam Maynai'd Gomm. loi
when it will leave this. It is confidently asserted that Sir H,
Dalrymple will command ; I am delighted with the idea of
raeeting Henry in this way. It is not certain whether we land
upon Sir Arthur's return, or wait for the reinforcements that
are expected. Adieu.' ' Camp before Vimiera: August 19, 1808.
' Despatches are this moment going off for England, and I
have only tirae to give you a few words; which, by-the-bye, it
would be unpardonable in me not to do, since we have had an
affaire ' with a division of the French army ; and you will, of
course, be very anxious to learn how we all are.
' They opposed us, in our march from Caldas and Obidos,
on the 16th. They were posted at first In the plain behind
Bombanal. On our advancing, they ascended the heights be
hind the village, and waited our approach. They were attacked
in this position, and driven from it. They made several efforts
to regain what they had lost, but without success. They were
driven along the heights a distance of three or four miles, and
in the evening they were in full march for Lisbon. By all
accounts, their numbers did not exceed five thousand ; our
whole array raore than doubles their nurabers, but we had not
an equal number engaged. We have suffered very severely.
' I have this instant received an order to repair to head
quarters, which prevents my saying ten words more. H. and
myself are quite safe and well. The 9th have behaved in the
most gallant raanner. I fear we have lost our invaluable
colonel. Adieu,' ' Vimiera : August 22, 1808.
' The French attacked us yesterday with a force of 15,000
raen, and were corapletely defeated. We have two generals
prisoners, with all their artillery. The numbers of killed
among them is great, I must refer you to the Gazette for all
the particulars of this business, in which, depend upon it, the
Eno-llsh have not only supported but added to their character,
Henry and myself are quite well. Colonel Walker is also
1 The battle of Eoliga.

I02 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
quite safe. His regiment distinguished Itself principally. I
hope Henry has heard of this opportunity of writing.
'P.S. — Sir Hew Dalrymple is arrived here.'
This arrival of Sir Hew Dalrymple was an instance of the
muddle then made in the military command by the supersession
of one officer by another. Sir John Moore, greatly to his
Indignation, after his unfortunate affair In Sweden, had been
sent out with an expedition to the coast of Portugal, in which
he was second to Sir Harry Burrard. On arriving off the
coast. Sir Harry Burrard landed, leaving Sir John Moore In
coraraand of the force with directions to proceed to the south
ward and to be at hand to support the advance.
Sir Harry Burrard arrived on the field at Vimiera, and,
taking the command from Sir Arthur Wellesley, prevented the
pursuit of the retiring enemy. The very day after the battle
Sir Hew Dalrymple, hastening from Gibraltar, superseded Sir
Harry. Imraediately afterwards Sir John Moore arrived, and he,
waiving his pretensions as senior officer, stated that if active
hostilities recoraraenced, Sir Arthur Wellesley was the right
man frora his knowledge and experience to have the command.
With such divided and constantly varying responsibilities,
it is hardly to be wondered at that confusion prevailed ; for
tunately, however, for the English army, the defeated French
appeared more anxious to get safe back to France than to renew
hostilities, and it was under these circumstances that the con
vention of Cintra was concluded.
By this treaty the French general Junot was allowed
with all his forces to evacuate Portugal. The English were
to transport them to France, and they were then to be free to
operate in whatever part of Europe their services were re
quired. They were not allowed, however, to carry off the
immense amount of booty which they had collected in the
country, and which they had reluctantly to disgorge.
This convention was received with great dissatisfaction in
England.

MT. 23.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 103
' Camp, Robral de Monta Gkkjo: Septemlier 1, 1808.
' The ship which brings you this letter will also bring you
the accounts of the conclusion of our cam[)algn in this country ;
the treaty between the heads of the two armies was finally
settled, we understand, yesterday. The articles of the treaty
are not made known among us ; and If they were, you will be
able to collect a more detailed and exact account of them from
the public prints than I could give you. I only hope you will
all be satisfied with them; if they are at all favourable to the
French, I think It serves to convince us that we are intended
for some other important service, because we are in a situation
now to dictate whatever terms we please in this country, in a
very short time. I believe I have only written to you twice
since our landing, and at each of those tiraes in such a hurry
that I barely gave you to understand Henry and rayself were
well. This time they have given us a little longer notice. We
are to send In our letters at eight o'clock ; it is now five, and
I have only this moment heard we have au opportunity of
sending letters. H. is at some distance from me, as he Is in
camp, and I have no raeans of sending to hira ; but as the
notice Is given in public orders, I think he will hear of it.
However, to make sure of your having recent information re
specting him, I can assure you I saw him two hours ago per
fectly well, and not looking at all the worse for the fatigues
of the campaign. Sir Hew Dalrymple has not yet decided.
nor even hinted to hira, Avhat he means to do. Henry, how
ever, called upon him the other day ; he received him very
kindly, and has been very attentive to him several times since.
He has been refused by the Duke of Cumberland to have his
son with hira as A.D.C., and it Is not, I think, at all improbable
that he will take Henry into his family again. I think you
must by this time have received accounts of our second action
with the French, and I hope we have contrived to put John
Bull in good humour with us as far as we went. However,
it Is very probable he will expect that we should have gone
further; and I must confess that for once we cannot call him
unreasonable. I believe he will have the greater part of us on

I04 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
his side. Our success was certainly brilliant, but we lost the
opportunity of raaking it substantial ; and the opinion Is almost
universal that it might have been decisive.
' Sir Arthur Wellesley had only to do with the favourable
side of the picture ; but it has been sadly daubed. Sir John
Moore has joined us with his whole force ; we have now an
army of 30,000 men In this country. We are all praying that
Spain or Italy will be our next destination. We march from
hence to-morrow, but I believe we are not allowed to enter
Lisbon for some time, I dare say I shall have another oppor
tunity of writing to you soon. I meant after I had finished
this to have written a long letter to Colonel Douglas, but I
have just received an order from headquarters to assist In
copying a plan of the country immediately.
' I believe you will not find out where we are from the top
of my letter; we are about ten miles from Torres Vedras, and
about twenty frora Lisbon.' 'Quetus: September! 9, 1808.
' I have never written to you yet since we landed that I
have not been hurried, and now that I have a little time
allowed me raore than usual I find I have so rauch to say to
you that I scarcely know how to begin ; and I shall not have
told you half of what I raean to do when I have ended. With
regard to the railltary part of our proceedings, I have this
afternoon for the first tirae got a peep at the despatches copied
from the J„ondon Gazette, and they give you a fuller
account of all that has passed than I should be able to give
you ; and as I do flatter myself we have no character to clear
in this instance, any Illustration of these accounts would be
impertinent. Besides, though I allow you all credit for feeling
a sufficient interest in our public successes, I know you have
not quite so much of the Roman lady about you as to be en
tirely dead to feelings of a more humble description; and
therefore I think I cannot begin my history with a piece of
news more acceptable to you — if I am not unfortunately the
retailer of it — than Henry's appointment to the situation of
major of brigade. As you will In all probability not under-

iET. 23.] Sir William Maynard Gomm-. 105
stand this rank, I must explain it to you. The pay and rank
are the same as those of aide-de-carap ; the officer has the
rank of major during the tirae he holds the eraployraent, and
he is not considered as generally belonging to the general's
faraily so much as the aide-de-camp. The situation is more
independent. Henry is attached to General Acland, whom
neither he nor I knew before his appointment, but he is very
highly spoken of.
' I have not seen H. since his appointment ; it is now, I
think, ten days ; we have been with opposite parts of the army.
To-morrow I go Into Lisbon, where I have every hope of see
ing him. This appointment has lighted upon hira In the nick
of tirae, for the day after it, I think, his regiment received
orders to raarch to Alraeida, a garrison town on the frontier,
nearly 200 miles from hence, and they are now on their
raarch. ' I have only passed through Lisbon once since we have had
possession of it. I regret very rauch not having been able to
be more In the way of seeing the French during their em
barkation ; but I have lost no time, whenever I have had an
opportunity, of raaking whatever reraarks I could upon thera.
You will, I dare say, think me a curious being for making such
a confession ; but I really cannot help telling you that the
lower orders of thera (I mean the soldiers) appear to me very
amiable ; they are civil, obliging, and gallant to a degree, and
I don't believe half the stories that are told of them. The
Portuguese are by no means favourites with us, I assure you ;
nothing can exceed the joy they express at our being among
them, and their delivery from the French ; but the homage they
pay us is of so abject a cast that we cannot help losing all re
spect for them ; and although It is only proper that they
should show every mark of respect to the English, since it is
to their exertions they owe everything, they do it In so shame
less a manner, at the same time that they have shown so little
activity in the cause which should rouse all their energies,
that they give by this means the strongest proof of their being
a weak and degenerate people. They certainly are so in a

io6 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
very great degree, and they have many unamiable features in
their character into the bargain. You will say I am deter
mined not to be the panegyrist of this people ; but be this as
it raay, I raust give you an account of an acquaintance I have
raade here within these few days, which I think will serve to
convince you that my abuse is not altogether prejudice, or at
least that it has bounds. At Lumiar, the last quarters we were
in, about four railes from hence, myself e^M?j de mes camarades,
nous sommes entres en Soldats, dans la maisou du Comte de
I'enicho. We did not certainly lay siege to the sweetmeats all at
once, as I have already confessed to you was the case in a more
inhospitable climate ; but nous nous sommes tres bien etablis
before we learnt who our noble host was. However, we have
had no reason to regret this piece of decision on our part, as it
has been the means of securing us a most va,luable acquaint
ance ; for although the household deities of the ancients were
not more honoured than we have been in every house we have
passed through, we have never fallen Into such good hands
before. The Count is rather of an advanced age ; he ia tho
roughly a gentleman. 1 cannot describe him to you by com
paring him to any one you know, because I have seen nothing
in England like him, If you recollect having read the " Cid,"
he put me raore In mind of the father of Rodrigue than any
thing I have seen or read of. He has a large family of six
daughters and two sons, all young. It is singular that neither
the Countess nor any of the family, except himself, speak
French ; so that we had very little conversation with them,
except when we wanted to make them laugh, and we seldom
failed when we attempted to address them In Portuguese. I
must tell you I have grown bolder with ray French since I
saw you last, so that I found rayself quite at home with the
Count. It was soraething very striking when he took us over
his house, and showed us those parts of it which had been
plundered by the French. It has contained some furniture
exceedingly rich, and some excellent paintings, of which they
have deprived him. All this we cannot help regretting when
we witness it, but the tameness with which they submitted to all

iET. 23.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 107
these indignities as a nation is almost a bar against every feel
ing of regret even In these instances. We lived three days
with the Count, and when I was ordered to join the cam[)
forming here, he first of all told me he remembered when very
young having rode out on a little pony, under the care of a
servant, to see the English camp, formed upon the ground we
now occupy at Quetus, under the Count de Lippe, in the year
sixty-two ; which, he said, delighted him very much. And then,
he desired that whenever I went to Lisbon I should find him
out; as he was willing to show me a great deal of atten
tion ; for his public business keeps him in town during the
week, and Sunday is the only day he is allowed to spend with
his family. So much for our romance, and I hope I shall
shortly be able to give you the sequel to It^
' I believe we are to have a large camp formed here of five-
and-twenty thousand men ; how long we are to stay here, or
anywhere, I know not ; but something tells me, we have more
to see before we return home ; and as we have not burnt our
fingers yet, I dare say you will all think it very excusable in
us that we should wish this to be the case. I am writing now
in the Palace of Quetus ; the royal family used frequently to
reside here, and since their departure Junot has had it fitted
up in very superb style, for the reception of the Emperor, who
had been expected here. He has collected the plunder of
other of the palaces and principal houses, and assembled it here.
We have several of us been laughing together this evening at
the strange sort of life we have been leading lately ; sleeping
alraost Indifferently, under the roof of a palace, a shed, or a
bush, but I believe we never were happier. Sir Arthur
Wellesley has left us, to our infinite regret ; I was with his
division of the array the whole campaign ; his departure vs^as
very sudden and unexpected.
' 2\st, Lisbon. — I am writing at this moment luH.'s room ;
he has been obliged to go out very early this raorning upon duty.
' I shall write to you again soon ; and I dare say we shall
be at rest, now the array is halted, but we have of late been
such perturbed spirits that the old maxim of there being a time

io8 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
to sleep and a tirae to fight, a time to eat and a time to write,
has met with very little respect among us. Henry, by the-bye.
Is going to be detached with his brigade a short distance from
the rest of the army, I should not think it would be for any
length of time. We are going to-day to find out James, and
raake hira give us a dinner, as he has a raess, we understand,
In town, and we shall in the evening go together to the
opera, . , , '

inc. 23.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 109

CHAPTER VL
1808-1809.
Under Sir John Moore— Sent on to examine Roads into Spain—
Advance — Ko Letters- -Retreat to Corunna— Death op Sir Job n
Mooeb — Dangerous Voyage Home — Canterbury — Coach Accident.
Shortly after the Convention of Cintra, Sir Arthur
Wellesley sailed for England; and immediately after the news
of that convention reached England such a clamour arose that
Sir Hew Dalrymple was recalled, and the coraraand of the
army was left in the hands of Sir Harry Burrard. At the
same time Sir John Moore was appointed to the chief com
mand of an army to be employed In Spain. Lord Castlereagh
signified to Sir John that 'the force placed under his cora
raand, amouuting to 20,000, was to co-operate with the
Spanish armies in the expulsion of the French from that
kingdom.' A further force of 10,000 was sent under Sir D.
Baird to Corunna. Napoleon was at the same time massing
an immense army to descend upon Spain to wipe out the
disgraceful defeat of Dupont's army by the Spaniards at
Baylen, and that of Junot by the English at Vimiera. He
was then pouring 200,000 French troops past the Pyrenees,
and the disorganised Spanish Junta had nothing but raw
levies to oppose him. The task assigned to Sir John Moore
seemed hopeless in the extreme, but he laboured hard to over
come the great difficulties of his position. He decided to
effect a junction with Baird's army by land in preference to
taking his troops by sea to Corunna, chiefly because it was
known that in Galicia it would be irapossible to procure
supplies and transport for so large a force. But the Portu
guese were ignorant even of their own country, and no correct

no The Earlier L^etters and Journals' of [1808.
information could be obtained about the roads; and the army,
being new to regular campaigning, were quite unused to
contrive expedients for such a march — added to which was
the great want of ready money. 'Lisbon : October 13, 1808.
' Sir John Moore marches immediately into Spain, at the
head of twenty thousand raen, detached from this army ; and
H. and rayself are both fortunate enough to be among the
elect. H. sorae time ago (at least a fortnight) set out after
his brigade on the road to Elvas ; and by the accounts I have
received of his progress, from different eye-witnesses, he must
have reached his point before this. He has been most fortun
ate in bis weather ; he travelled alone — at least, accompanied
only by his servants and baggage. But he Is experienced in
this sort of adventure, since you well know that he travelled
seven hundred miles, in the same raanner, through the wilds
of Canada, and all for pleasure.
' I yesterday received instructions to proceed this raorning on
the road towards Almeida ; a division of the ai-ray marches in
this direction, and they are not at all satisfied with the accounts
given them of this route. The high-road is through Leyria
and Coimbra, turning the chain of the Estrellas by the left,
but this road Is too long to be undertaken by us at present, and
we expect to raeet serious obstacles in the road we propose fol
lowing. My directions are, therefore, to discover what means
there are on the road for the quartering of troops, so that they
may be under cover after each day's march ; and how far the
country is practicable for the passage of artillery. The French
came with one column in this direction, but their artillery was
very light. This is to be ray route ; through Santarem, Torres
Novas, Thomar, Cardigao (making all inquiries respecting the
high-road through Abrantes to Cardigao) ; from Cardigao to
Castel Branco, Guarda, and Alraeida, and return by Sabugal
and Penamacor to Castel Branco. From Cardigao there is like
wise a road more north, and passing over the ridge of the Estrel
las ; about this I am to make all Inquiries. From Castel Branco,
by a third route, crossing the Tagus twice, through Garviao to

MT. 23.] Sir William Mayna7'd Gomm. 1 1 1
Abrantes, where I raeet the division that Is to undertake this
march. Now, I think you will allow that I have no sraall
work on hand, and as I am to be as quick as possible about it,
you need be under no apprehensions of my passing my time in
the mountains of the Estrellas, a la Quichotte in the Sierra
Morena. My equipment is as follows: I take two servants,
one for rayself, the other for ray horses ; and I have an interpre
ter (a deserter from the French), an Italian, who speaks French,
Portuguese, and Spanish, so that we shall get en fluently. I
take two horses, a Spaniard, and an English one ; fortunately,
they are both excellent. I have a mule for my baggage, so
that we are all mounted, and at seven o'clock this morning we
start. Adieu, therefore, for the present ; you shall hear from
rae In the course of ray peregrinations, , , , '
The letters to his sister here break off, the next being a
short note dated from Portsmouth, January 26, 1809, after
the voyage from Corunna. It Is only from scattered memo
randa written on different occasions in later years that one can
gather what part Captain Gomm took In Sir John Moore's
campaign. Owing to the wretched state of the roads and to the im
poverished state of the country. Sir John had found himself
obliged to divide his forces, for it was not till after many of
the regiments were actually in raoveraent that it was reported
that the Portuguese roads north of the Tagus were Imprac
ticable for artillery. Colonel Lopez, who had been sent by
the Spanish Government to assist Sir John Moore, confirmed
what Captain Goram reported after he had examined the line.
It was this that compelled the despatch of the artillery by the
circuitous western road by Elvas to Salamanca, while the rest
of the army marched in three columns by the two banks of the
Tao-us, and by the coast road to Coimbra. Sir John Moore
himself says, ' The army ran the risk of finding itself in front
of the enemy with no more ammunition than the men carried
in their pouches ; but had I waited until everything was
forwarded the troops would not have been In Spain until
the spring, and I trust that the enemy will not find out

112 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
our wants as soon as they will feel the effects of what we
have.' On November 13, when Sir John Moore reached Sala
manca, news of the entire defeat of the Spanish armies by the
French were brought to him, and he found that instead of
having a victorious Spanish force to cover his advance there
was not a Spanish soldier in his front, and the enemy were
reported to be at hand in overwhelming numbers. The armies
with which he had been ordered to communicate had been
dispersed to the winds. He had no fresh orders from home;
and no comraunications from the Simnish Government, while
from the rumours which were prevalent it appeared as if the
different detachments of the British army were advancing Into
the arms of the eneray. Under these circumstances Sir John
Moore sent out for information of the whereabouts of the
enemy's forces at Valladolid, A meraorandum inserted In Sir
Willlara Gorara's handwriting in Fullom's ' Life of Sir Howard
Douglas' shows the part he bore In this matter : —
' The measures in progress for asserabling the British army
at Salamanca towards the close of the autumn of 1808 gave
occasion to a " raid " of which I ara tempted to insert a brief
account among these pages,
' The principal column raarched through central Portugal
to its point. A second coluran took the route by the Tagus
and Madrid. A third (under Baird) landed at Corunna and
advanced by Lugo and Astorga.
' The first coluran was reaching Its point, while the others
would require several weeks more for the completion of
their raarch. In the raeautime the French had routed the Spanish
armies with which we were advancing to co-operate, and Sir
John Moore received Intimation from the Supreme Junta
assembled at Aranjuez that they had broken up from Burgos,
and were advancing iu force upon Valladolid and Salamanca.
This inteUIgence, if confirmed, would render Imperative the
counter-march of the three British columns without a moment's
delay Into Portugal and Galicia.
' An officer of the Quartermaster-General's Department

iET. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 1 1 3
was called for to ride forth, not In quest of adventure, but
of reliable information on the momentous question mooted,
towards Valladolid, and the lot fell upon the reporter. A
Spanish officer was given me for companion, and in the grey
of a murky Noveraber morning we set out together courier-
wise upon post-horses, sadly jaded, poor fellows, by incessant
to-and-fro-ing of estafettes at that busy period,
' The distance from Salamanca to Valladolid is between
sixty and seventy English miles of perfectly flat, open country.
Something short of half the journey was thrown behind with
out occurrence worthy of note, and then my Castllian comrade
was moved to cry, " Hold, enough ! " and the route was
pursued by me alone,
' A flight of an unusual description soon arrested my atten
tion, looming in the distance over the landscape without tree
or shrub. When neared It proved to be ray Lady Prioress
and all her nuns escaping frona French capture out of Valla
dolid, and hastening to take refuge In Salaraanca. A little
gentle parler ensued, in the course of which I was recom
mended to turn and do likewise ; but the spirit of adventure,
or of curiosity, or of whatever else proved more potent, and It
was on, on for the next raeeting. And this turned up in the
shape of the military governor of the city, vowing that the
French had entered en masse at one gate while he shot out at
another, and that going further ahead would be a brainless
proceeding. ' This was the govei*nor who was treated with such little
ceremony In poor Sir John Moore's report home. The
general, however, prevailed no better than the nuns, and as
the shades of evening came on Valladolid was entered ; the
whole city as silent and as erapty as Pompeii at the same hour
till the Alameda was reached, and then a shadowy group was
descried, suddenly brought to a stand by my approach as by
that of a mounted apparition. These were the municipality
of the city, expecting another visit of a thousand French
cavalry levying contributions and requiring news of us.
When inforraed that I carae frora Sir John Moore, the corregi-
I

I r4 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1808.
dor instantly lifted me off my horse, threw his cloak round
me, and hurried me off to his house, where he boarded and
bedded me for four or five hours and packed me off on my
return before the dawn, very stiff, furnished with a written
report of the limited extent to which the Junta's Information
was confirmed. By evening I was entering Sir John Moore's
quarters with the report. Colonel Colborne (now Lord
Seaton), then military secretary, looking half incredulous and
something more at first, of the fact of Valladolid having been
really reached, but hastening with the letter to his anxious
chief, secured him a balmier rest through its contents than he
had for many a night enjoyed. It is needless to add that its
information outweighed that furnished by nuns and captain-
general, and that the columns advancing vlfi Astorga and
Madrid were not precipitately thrown back, the one upon
Portugal, the other upon Corunna, nor the assembling of
the array at Salamanca frustrated through false or exaggerated
reports gathered from a distance.'
In the meantirae, the French, although not actually occupy
ing Valladolid and so threatening the English position at
Salaraanca, had pushed on, led by Napoleon In person, to the
walls of Madrid, which surrendered to him on December 4,
This was unknown to Moore at the time, and it is not to be
wondered at that his Information of the real position of
affairs was halting when we find that actually on the eve of
their unconditional surrender of the capital, Don Morla, the
Governor, sent messengers to Moore to ask him to advance to
Madrid to co-operate with the Spaniards, concealing from him
the numbers of the French and the utter inability of the
Spaniards to hold their own against them.
In order, therefore, to relieve Madrid, Sir John Moore
decided on attemjiting to cut the French communications
between Madrid and France, and about December 13 moved
northward to the Douro. When this information was com
municated to Napoleon, he at onceappreciated the correctness
of the movement, and saying, ' Moore is the only general now
fit to contend with me : I shall advance against him in person,'

MT.

24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 1 1 5

pushed on with his wonted impetuosity towards Benavente in
order to destroy him. In the face of Napoleon's vastly superior
numbers Sir John Moore then commenced that most difficult
of all military manoeuvres — a well-ordered retreat before q,
superior force.
At Astorga, on January 1, Napoleon had to relinquish
the pursuit and hurry back to France, leaving the com
mand to Soult, and till the middle of January the weary
retreat was continued up to Corunna. It is hard to imagine
a more miserable plight than the army was in ; the men were
with the greatest difficulty kept in anything like order, raany
straggled frora the ranks, tarried behind, hid themselves in
houses, broke open wine cellars, and were left behind Intoxir
cated. The sick and woqnded were also necessarily left
behind; much of the baggage and stores had to be abandoned
or destroyed, and even the casks containing the money had to
share the same fate, g.s the means of transport were lamentably
insufficient, and even what they had was continually breaking
down. The whole army was dispirited, sullen, and despondent ;
while the reserve, which continued obedient and orderly, was
almost daily engaged sharply with the enemy. Under these
trying circumstances the conduct of the brave commander
shone forth with wonderful brilliancy ; he was everywhere
encouraging his roeii., praising the gallant conduct of those
who so repeatedly repulsed the enemy, and did all that raan
could do to raalntain order, and to keep heart in the
men under such adverse circumstances. Captain Gomm
had been ordered to rejoin his own regiment, the 9th,
owing to the want of regimental officers, and it Is to be
regretted that there are none of his graphic letters to his
sister describing this trying retreat. Before the middle of
January they arrived at Corunna, and Moore's undaunted
soul, though the expected transports were not yet arrived,
rejected the counsels of those who proposed to open negotia
tions with Soult, He determined to extricate his army from
its perilous position with honour. In spite of the enemy. On
the evening of January 14 the transports arrived, and during
1 2

ii6 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8O8.
the 15th and 16th the troops were successfully embarked, after
repulsing the attacks of the enemy on the 15th, and in the
fierce general battle of the 16th crowning their retreat with a
signal victory over the whole army of Soult, 20,000 strong.
The victory, however, was dearly won, for the heroic
Moore was killed. To the 9th Regiment was consigned the
sad though honourable duty of burying him on that fatal
evening. It was they who ' slowly and sadly laid him down, from
the field of his fame fresh and gory ; ' and it was they who
were the last of the British force to embark in the darkness of
the night. Captain Gomm hiraself commanded the very last
])icket, A meraorandum in bis own handwriting is inserted In
his copy of Fullom's ' Life of Sir Howard Douglas,' p, 100,
against the remark about the embarkation that the movement
was covered by the rearguard which held the land fronts of
the fortifications across the isthmus, facing the enemy, who
watched for the moment when these should be evacuated
leaving the rearguard at his mercy. Colonel Douglas saw the
danger, and resolved to make an eflPort to ward it off, which he
did by making over the forts to the Spaniards. The arrange
ment was carried out, but not unnoted by the French, who
brought up their field guns and opened fire on the transports.
The terrors of the scene were heightened by the darkness of
the night. The admiral signalled for the transports to make
off, tnd more than a hundred slipped their cables, running
before the wind out of the bay, and heaving to In the offing,
while the rearguard mustered on the beach within the citadel.
A number of the transports ran foul of each other, entangling
their rigging, while sorae were wrecked.
Colonel Douglas waited to watch the embarkation of the
rearguard, as It threatened to be hazardous — the transports
being only accessible by a long pull to seaward ; and casualties
might have occurred if Sir Samuel Hood had not sent all his
boats to bring the troops to the Barfleur and Resolution lying
near the shore, which he turned into receiving ships.
' The last fragment of rearguard withdrawn from the

.351.24,] Sir IVilliam Maynard Gomm. 117
heights consisted of ray own corapany of the 9th Regiment ;
the regiment which had just
Buried him darkly at dead of night,
With his martial cloak around him.
We were thus the last British remnants (I believe I was the
last English fighting raan) embarking, and were forced In
consequence to thread the whole fieet in the turbid dark In
quest of a berth. " No room, three in a bed all round," was
all the answer we got. In despair striking out largely we
raade for a lone ship In the distance, outermost in the forest of
sea-craft, and at first thought they werecruelly joking us when
we got for reply, " Oh yes, plenty of room." This was the
headquarter store-ship, which had been cannonaded In the
morning by the French from the heights, and when deserted
by its crew, compass and all, was carried out of harm's way by
a mate and boat's crew from the admiral's ship, who had
witnessed the desertion. We sailed before dawn. Stormy
weather, but a fair wind, soon dispersed the fleet and bore us
independently into the chops of the channel. Then carae on
a storra ahead, and tempested us about several dark days and
nights of blank uncertainty as to our whereabouts. The
stout mate who headed us came up to rae saying, " They have
left us no means of ascertaining where we are. I will keep
the best look-out I can, but I know as little as you do about
our actual whereabouts." At last, on the fifth morning, the
mists rising in perfect calm, we recognised the point of St.
Helen's abreast of us, and a disraasted frigate ahead of us
gliding softly into Spithead. Our worthy raate was presently
promoted by the Admiralty upon the report raade to it of the
gallant and seamanlike care he had taken of his unlooked-for
charge.' 'Portsmouth: January 26, 1809.
' My dear Sophia, — I lose not a moment in letting you
hear of ray arrival at Spithead this raorning in a very crazy
ship. However, I ara very fortunate in being the first of the
regiment that has arrived ; the rest, however, are on board

1 1 8 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
ships of war and have put into Plymouth ; no doubt we shall
have them round to-morrow. Henry is not here; but be
under no apprehensions about hira, because he embarked at
Corunna in the Zealous, a ship of the line, and I have just
seen an officer arrived from Plymouth with the account of all
the ships of war with the fleet and a number of transports
having gone into Plymouth. He will most likely have an
opportunity of paying his respects to you before I shall, not
being Imraediately attached to his regiment. Through the
kind intercession of General Brownrigg, I have been obliged
to join mine ever since vre left Salaraanca, having become the
eldest captain of it.' General Brownrigg Is here himself,
regulating the quarters of the troops. The 9 th go to Canter
bury ; write to rae there. I dare say we shall reach It in five
days. Henry and myself are both perfectly well. I am
writing in a great hurry, as the general has given me a job
which requires that I should set about it Immediately. My
very best love to aunt and Miss Goldsworthy,
'Your ever affectionate brother,
'Wm. Gomm.'
After their return from Corunna the 9th Regiment remained
at Canterbury, but in the middle of the year it became rumoured
that they were to be sent out somewhere again. Speaking of
the operations in Portugal, in a letter to his sister In June 1809,
Captain Gorara says : ' We are certainly making a very grand
display in that quarter, but it can only be compared, I think,
to our playing the pawn game successfully in one corner of
the chess-board while we are receiving checkmate In another;
and as to our sending a flimsy force to gain a footing in Ger
many, which they seem to talk of at present, we may as well
send them to Brobdingnag.'
' At the end of the year the regiment stood as follows . Colonel Robert
Brownrigg; Lieut.-Col. Henry de Berniere ; Lieut.- Col. John Cameron ; Lieut.-
Col. George Molle ; Major Henry Crawfurd ; Major David Campbell ; Major
Thomas Aylmer ; Captain Peter Lambert; Captain William M. Goram ; and 19
other captains ; 46 Lieutenants ; 19 Ensigns.

MT. 24.] Sir William. Maynard Gomm. 1 1 9
When the expedition for Walcheren was being got ready Iu
July 1809 Captain Gomm had been up to town, and on being
ordered to join the staff which was to embark at Ramsgate he
went down by coach. On the way they met with a mishap,
which he describes in a note to his sister, 'Canterbury : July 20, 1809.
' My dear Sophia, — As I may not chance to have an
opportunity of writing before the post leaves Ramsgate this
evening if I wait till I arrive there, I think I had better take
advantage of a few spare moments, and give you my history so
far. ' The fact is I was overturned about six o'clock this
morning, and have gained a black eye by the bargain. If you
had seen the vehicle before it started you would only have
wondered how such an occurrence should have been put off till
we nearly reached Ospringe. I should be happy if I could
finish as little tragically as I have begun ; but I have it left to
tell you of one poor raan who was killed on the spot, and two
others whose legs were broken ; these were all on the outside.
The coachraan is likewise much hurt, but I cannot feel the
smallest regret at this ; I ara only sorry he was not a greater
sufferer in the place of one of those I have mentioned, for the
whole was owing to his own carelessness, or rather mischievous
indifference : for he was aware when we left Sittingbourne that
one of the springs had given way, but thought It too much
trouble either to make an atterapt at repairing it or to warn us
of our situation. The consequence was that the whole weight
of the carriage falling upon the fore wheels, one of these shortly
gave way, and the whole came down on Its side on the finest
road possible, and in broad daylight. In fact, I am positive
that the owners of this rotten concern were only waiting for an
event of this sort to close their account with It ; for on examin
ing it there was scarcely a part either of the tackling (as the
sailors call it) or body of the carriage that was not corapletely
worn out, and frora this circumstance it is reduced to a wreck.
I think little short of transportation should foUow such be-

I20 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809,
haviour. We did all we could to find out who the poor young
raan was that it proved so fatal to ; but in vain. As it Is
attended with so many melancholy circumstances, it would be
indelicate in me to suppose that the idea of my getting a black
eye in this way should amuse you, as I am confident It would
under other circumstances. I must, however, assure you I
never took an insult of the sort with so much good humour ; for
to raake ray luck the greater there were five persons Inside the
coach, and I was under the whole of thera till we made use of
the window to extricate ourselves. To tell you the truth, I
believe I shall pass for a day or two as having been engaged in
an " elegant little row," as we say In Ireland ; for nobody will
dream, nor shall I be able to Insist upon it with a sufficient
degree of solemnity, that I got It in fighting with a stage
coach,' ' Eamsgate : July 25, 1809.
' When I last wrote you from Canterbury I thought there
was little chance of our reraaining here till this tirae. Here we
are, however, still, and I see no chance of our sailing for some
days, for the wind is directly against the fleet coming round
from Portsmouth ; and the naval people assure us It Is not likely
to change till Wednesday or Thursday, when the moon like
wise changes. As this delay, therefore, has taken place to such
an extent, and is likely to be continued, I cannot help thinking
we are very fortunate in putting up here in preference to going
with the rest of the army to Deal. I have not been over there
yet, but you may imagine what it raust be — a dirty hole at
best, with very little accommodation of any kind, and filled at
this moment like a beehive, although, I am afraid, with a less
industrious population. Here we have only three or four
general officers with their staff. Lords Chatham and Huntly
are both here.
' My black eye, I ara happy to tell you, is disappearing
very graciously. I do not know whether you are much
acquainted with the nature of its progress In the human coun
tenance ; but this rauch I raay tell you, that it is raore easily
got than got rid of! Its retreat always is very solemn and

iET. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. \ 2 1
majestic, although on this occasion I have found It rather more
nimble in its operation than is usual, and there is nothing now
but its shadow left behind, . , ,
' The news from Germany Is too distressing to touch upon,
and although we have only the French account I ara afraid
from the movements alone, without allowing any credit to their
comraents, that the Austrians have lost everything. You shall
hear frora rae again in a day or two, at all events before we
sail. Sir Howard Douglas does not know I am writing, or I
am sure he would desire me to say something nice. I have
not heard since from Henry, but expect to see him the moment
we go to Deal.'

122 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.

CHAPTER VIL
1809.
Walcheren Expedition.
'Middelburg: August 2, 1809.
' As this is the first opportunity that has been offered to us
of writing since our landing, I shall not have kept you longer
than it was possible to help, and this is certainly a pleasing
refiection to me. Our passage from the Downs was something
like one of the excursions the royal family used to take from
Weymouth, ' We weighed atichor at four in the morning, and were off
the coast of Walcheren at three in the afternoon of the 29th.
On the 30th, in the afternoon, we landed on the Bree Sands ;
you will see it on the map, between West Capel and the town
of Vere, It was the finest thitig of the kind, perhaps, that ever
was witnessed, whether we consider the force of the fleet that was
collected, the judgment and good order with which the whole
was planned by the naVy, or the spirit and national character
that was so admirably supported by the troops. It is not fair to
take into consideration that no opposition was offered, because,
at the time of landing, we had every reason to expect from the
nature of the shore, and frora other circumstances, that it
would have been disputed; and it was under this Idea that,
when the troops were all in the boats, and rowed off from the
shipping to gain the shore, they sent up a general and continued
shout, that came nearer to the idea of Milton, when he de
scribes the exultation of the fallen angels at the uprearing of
their standard, than anything I can conceive. The fort of
Haak, which you will see on the map, and the batteries at Vere

MT. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 123
fired some round shot and shell, which were returned from the
frigates and gunboats anchored in shore to cover the landing.
The whole made up the most animating scene I ever witnessed,
and nothing was wanting but some opposition at the point of
landing to render it perfect in its kind.
' The fort of Haak was immediately evacilated ; and an ad
vance raade late In the evening towards Vere by the 71st Regl
raent, or rather by part of it, was an ill-judged thing, and they
were driven off with some loss. The day after, the gunboats
and bomb vessels rowed up the channel, and a bombardment
continued on both sides during the whole of the day, two of the
boats were sunk, and some damage done to the town. In the
meantime we were busy in landing the heavy artillery, in
order to make an impression upon these gentlemen on the land
side, as we found them so saucy. These preparations being
made on our side, the town surrendered yesterday at eleven
o'clock. We have taken about 450 prisoners in it, of all
nations, I was down at the beach, at this time, superintending
the diserabarkation of my horse, which I have had a world of
trouble in getting on shore, owing to its having arrived too late
at Ramsgate to sail in the same vessel with the general's.
This circumstance has been a source of greater vexation to me
than I could well have foreseen at the beginning, and as I have
an idle hour upon my. hands, for reasons which I shall explain
to you presently, I shall detail all my grievances to you,
' The headquarters moved the day before yesterday to
Gripsklrke, a village about six miles frora the landing-place, a
little out of the direction of Middelburg ; yesterday they were
removed to this place, and the division of the army under Sir
Eyre Coote advanced to invest Flushing, I knew this day
would be the only one that I could with safety employ in look
ing after my horse, and I was In hopes I should lose nothing
by being out of the way till the afternoon. I therefore re
turned to the ships, and with some difficulty got my horse on
shore. Vere having surrendered, I Immediately raade for it,
and arrived as the garrison were laying down their arms. You
will be pleased to hear that few lives have been lost in the

124 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
town ; not above five or six. Many of the buildings have been
damaged by the shells ; It is a very pretty little town, and, like
everything In this island, so clean and neat that it gives you
more the Idea of the model of such a place, made of paste-work,
than the town itself; raaking allowances, however, for the
little disorder we had, here and there, contrived to introduce
into it. . . .
' Here I had the good fortune to fall in with our Invincible
major, whom I had hunted after in vain all the day before; he
is looking remarkably well and quite fat, and is very much
pleased with his situation. I do not. think you will hear from
him by this conveyance. He Is still In the neighbourhood of
Vere, and It is only an hour since I heard of the intention of
sending off a messenger. As he will therefore not have an op
portunity of telling it you himself, and having to his great
annoyance promised him most faithfully that I would betray
him the very first time I wrote to you, I now fulfil my vow,
and declare to you that he wears a tremendous pair of mous-
tachios to accompany the whiskers to which I believe you have
already been introduced. The complexion of them very
much resembles that of a carrot, so that you will not be surprised
at my laughing very heartily when I discovered who it was : he,
too, had never seen rae equipped as an aide-de-camp, and not
being at all prepared to encounter a pair of moustachios, it was
a very fair subject for doubt for several minutes to bystanders
whether we had ever seen one another before in our lives!
Now that I have endeavoured to amuse you at his expense, it
will be only fair towards him to tell you how he came by them.
The fact is, Colonel Cochrane, who commands the battalion, has
introduced them, and the fashion, like all others, has been
followed by each Individual under him who possessed the smallest
share of esprit de corps as fast as the growth of whiskers in
general would allow thera to fall into the raeasure, so that
probably poor Henry does not deserve to be so severely criti
cised, and the fashion, I can tell you, is beginning to lose ground
with him, and I am half inclined to think he will be out of
masquerade the next time we meet, which I think must be
to-morrow.

.35T. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 125
' I set off for Middelburg, and now coraes the doleful part
of ray story. I had the mortification to learn, on my arrival
here, that the enemy had offered considerable opposition to the
investment of Flushing, and that the comraander-in-chlef and
the whole of the staff had been rauch exposed during the
greater part of the raorning. I own to you, I felt very foolish
when I learnt all this, although certainly without reason, for It
would have been irapossible for me to have been of the smallest
use without a horse, and I was well satisfied, as It turned out,
that nothing but my own presence on the beach would
accomplish it. I can conceive nothing more vexing than all
this, notwithstanding. The fact is, there are cases when we
can satisfy our reason, but our feelings not so easily, and this
is one of them. It is probable that we have lost 100 or 150
men in this affair ; several officers are wounded ; the enemy's
force is now concentrated In Flushing ; from uncertain accounts,
we are told they are from three thousand to four thousand.
Our ships of war will be able to act upon the town iraraediately,
and you raay depend upon our getting possession of this place
very shortly. Nothing can have gone on better than we have
done hitherto, and if we are quick and decided we shall do all
that is required of us, I am certain. I can give you no certain
account of Colonel Walker ; he is with Lord Huntly. We
hear this division has landed upon Cadzand, and is In possession
of everything that was expected from them. Sir J. Hope is
going on equally well in South Beveland. . . ,
' I shall now make you acquainted with another trouble of
mine, which, however, does not tease me so much as the other.
I have since yesterday had a violent cold In one of ray eyes ;
fortunately I ara lodged In the house with a physician, and he
has assured me I shall be cured by to-raorrow ; there is little
chance of anything being done to-day, as we are busied in
preparations, and under this impression I have submitted to
his prescription. God forbid that I should be disappointed In
having depended so far upon my good fortune. Sir Howard
was with the general yesterday, and I need not teU you how
valuable his presence was.

126 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
' I have not described the country to you, but I shall be
better able to do this as I go on ; however, of this Island I must
tell you that what I have seen of It is perfectly beautiful in its
way. The country is a perfect flat, and intersected (like all the
rest of Zealand) with canals, but beautifully wooded ; the land Is
probably the richest In the world, and It Is therefore a constant
variety of the finest pastures, covered with all kinds of cattle,
rich cornfields, peas, beans, potatoes, in abundance ; it Is very
like England, only that there is raore of what is properly called
neatness than exists even in England, There Is not a farm
house that I have seen (and they are in great plenty, all over
the country) that does not appear to be fitted up, altogether
for show, and nothing for use, although they are all filled with
plenty of good milk, excellent oaten bread, and cheese ; of
which, I need not tell you, we make very good use. As for this
town, It must be called fine, in the most extensive meaning of
the word, I cannot pretend to describe it to you yet, but in my
next letter I hope I shall be better able. I do not find this
writing affect my eye, but after I have done I shall certainly
remain perfectly quiet and give it the best chance In the world.'
' Middelburg : August 7, 1809.
', We happen to be all separately billeted in this town, and
I am therefore apart from the general, and take up my abode
with a Doctor Scramder — his father is a doctor, and his grand
father was one, before either of thera. I have thought It
necessary to begin frora the beginning, because I mean that
his history should compose a principal feature in this " volume" ;
for the two latter it interested me very little what they had
been, but I thought myself rather lucky when I learnt that
he was one of the faculty, for, supposing the Inflammation
was owing to a coraraon cold, I was glad to find a remedy so
near at hand. Had I found it necessary, however, to rely
altogether upon his good-will and inexperience in the business,
I am not sure whether his prescriptions would not have proved
as serious as they are ridiculous, In the present state of the
case. He is a middle-aged man, of very good education, and

MT. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 127
connected with the principal people of the town. I take for
granted he talks his own language as well as his neighbours ;
but being, as yet, little prepared for meeting him on his own
ground, I have had recourse to a little German and a good
deal of French. Of the former he understands still less than
myself, and the latter is such a jargon with him that we have
frequently discoursed for hours together without either party
being much the better for it, excepting. Indeed, that we have
both had the satisfaction of being good company, as far as lay
in our power. He generally begins his story In French, out of
regard for rae, as being the language I am most familiar with.
As he grows warm with his subject, he Introduces a little
German, where the French will not serve jilm, and before the
business is over he becomes downright unmannerly, and utters
a whole breathful of pure Dutch (if there is such a thing)
before he fiuds out that he is talking to the deaf, for he gener
ally leaves me very far behind him towards the end of the
story. In this manner he sometimes betrays me into a laugh,
very mal a propos, but for which I think the most uncharitable
critic would pardon me. The other day I was talking to
him about the climate ; he says the weather is very healthy
now, but that in a couple of months his harvest begins, and
lasts till the frost sets In ; dijriug this time, he calculates, pro
vided things go on as they have been used to do, upon having
about a hundred patients at his mercy ; but, notwithstanding
the number of sick, he says very few die ; and holding up his
ten fingers by way of Illustration, " De mille sik, seulement (so
many) mourir, et ce n'est pas assez." I really believe the poor
man only meant me to understand that the disease was not so
fatal as the number of victims to it would entitle us to sup
pose ; but I thought the turn he gave it, without intention,
was so ridiculous, that 1 burst out laughing, and threw myself
at the mercy of his good-nature. As he is so charitable to
insist upon always sitting with me, he has his dinner brought
every day to the same table with mine ; he dines very nearly
in the same fashion that we do in England, and much too
temperately with regard to wine, for he seldom drinks any.

128 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
This, however, does not prevent him from inviting me to such
fare, although he is very well aware that meat and wine of all
kinds are forbidden fruit to rae ; and this is the raost extra
ordinary part of his character. He begins in this manner:
" Voulez-vous vouler?" I tell him, "Non." " Pourquoi
non? c'est bon pour vous." "Mais non pas pour I'oell," I
tell him. " Ah ! c'est vrai, raals autreraent ? " And hereabouts
the debate generally ends, and his eloquence is saved, to serve
at the next meal with as little effect. As my anecdotes have
hitherto been tinctured with sarcasm, I should be sorry to
omit one, which is the only one I could give you, as a proof
of his good-nature. Following up his old system of serving my
eye, he set before n^e, the other day, a set of costumes of all
the provinces of Holland and Zealand, very curious and well
done. I took such a fancy to them that I begged of him to
send Imraediately to the bookseller's and endeavour to get it
for me. Our messenger, however, returned without success ;
for this work coraes from Amsterdara. At present the com
munication with Holland is shut, there are no copies to be had
in the town, so that I found myself in a dlleraraa, from which,
however, he soon released me, for, as I had already told him,
I intended thera for you, he insisted upon giving me the copy
that he had, " pour plaisir," as he called it, and added that he
would be able to get another when the communication was
opened. There is the Dutch account belonging to each, with
the French opposite to it ; and the Dutch jargon is not the
least entertaining part of the coraposition. I have fortunately
heard of a very good toy-shop In this town, and as he has a little
daughter of an age to be amused in this manner, I Intend, the
first time I go out, to get her one of the handsomest toys I can
find, so that you will not have to accuse me of having spunged
upon ray worthy host when I deliver his present to you. I
have yet a very interesting part of his story to tell you. A
few days before the English arrived here, his wife and little
son left him, to pay a visit at Leyden to sorae of her friends.
In the raeantime the comraunication with Holland had been
closed ; and in place of her returning to-day, as he expected.

iET. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 129
it will depend upon the activity of our movements whether
she will be able to return soon or not ; but it is certainly very
vexatious for him, and he appears much annoyed at it.
Though, to take him at bis word, you would say he bears it
very fashionably, for he only says, " C'est tr^s d4sagreable pour
mol." I should not have ventured to Interest you so long with
my domestic adventures if I had had anything else to treat
you with. But I must give you an account of our raoveraents
since I wrote to you last. Recollect I am not going to account
for thera all.
' We certainly have not been going on swiramingly 'although
this is the best term that could be applied, if we had been going
on fast, for ours is a very aquatic expedition) ; but we move
very statellly of late. I was wrong In telling you Lord
Huntly had landed upon Cadzand ; It was so reported here,
but we have since learnt that the enemy are too strong in that
island to render it practicable with his force. The grq,pes
have therefore been voted sour, and I believe we are going to
do without it. Lord Huntly is now, I understand, off Ramr
mekens, in this island, a fort which surrendered the other day.
I believe I have told you Colonel Walker is with him ; the
9th are also in that division. I ara afraid they will have had
more of a watery excursion than they will know how to put up
with good-humouredly.
' We have now a very large force collected before Flushing,
which however seems inclined to be very sulky. Our heavy
batteries are getting on, by degrees. They are, however,
getting reinforcements by degrees, from the Cadzand side, and
one should think, from appearances, that we have not the
raeans of preventing it. The weather has been by no raeans
favourable for us hitherto ; we have had much heavy rain ;
and although our troops before the town have hutted them
selves, by raeans of the wood and straw of which there is
plenty in the neighbourhood, they are still but Ill-prepared for
so much wet weather as we have had lately.
' I believe it is the Intention of General Brownrigg, and I be
lieve likewise of Lord Chatham, to go over. In the course of a day
K

130 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
or two, into South Beveland ; the whole Island is in possession
of Sir John Hope. Nothing can be more fortunate for me, as
I purpose going out to-morrow, and shall have a day or two
allowed me to see all that has been going on here since I arrived,
jirevious to leaving the island.
' My landlord gives rae the most favourable accounts of
Beveland. He says the peasants are all very rich, the country
abounding in cattle, and grain, and Goes, which you must call
Goose, a very pretty town. I hope we shall soon enable the
navy to come up the river.
' By-the-bye, I have never given you an account of the
cruising part of our adventure.
' There happened to be about four-and-twenty of us on
board the Venerable, and as they were the troupe doree, I was
packed off without ceremony to take up my lodging In the
cockpit, together with three or four other victims to the
shades. I thought it very like raaking a present of us to the
infernal powers, for a chance of purchasing good weather.
However, as I had never seen these regions before, and had
little chance of seeing thera in any other way, I resolved to
turn virtuous for the occasion, and pass through It, if I could,
en amateur ; and, fortunately, I had little raore than satisfied
my curiosity, and it had just begun to lose the only recom
mendation it ever had in my eyes, that of novelty, when we
were happily released from such accommodation. The first
time I carae into upper air, after having passed a night in
these tristes abodes, It was really very like one of those unex
pected returns that we read of iu ancient story ; and the rest
of the fraternity all flocked round us when we came upon
deck, as if we had something mysterious to tell them. I take
for granted you know enough of the mechanism of a ship to
be aware that a candle Is the only resource against utter dark
ness iu these glooray recesses; but then, you raust understand
that they are very spare iu make, and very thinly scattered
up and down, so that you raay fancy them so many glow
worms, or fixed stars, in a night otherwise dark.
' I shall not easily forget the scene that was opened to us.

iET. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 1 3 1
when the signal was made to weigh anchor in the Downs, at
four o'clock in the morning. All at once there was such a
hullabaloo, all talkers and no hearers, ropes running about
in all directions, and nearly as inconvenient to the legs as if
they had been so raany serpents, hammers going as hard as
they could, directly overhead, in getting up the cable, and all
the little midshipmen running about helter-skelter, like so
many imps of darkness, enjoying the whole catastrophe. You
raay conceive our situation a very happy one, as we had no
business upon deck so early In the raorning ; and as we were
swinging in hammocks, that looked like so raany cobwebs up
and down the cockpit, the heads of the passengers often
interfered with what we called our slumbers.
' After all, notwithstanding the grievances I have enume
rated, I think myself very lucky in having been on board this
ship, as I have had an opportunity of seeing a great deal of the
principal naval officers employed on this service, particularly
Sir R. Strachan and Sir Home Popham.
' The forraer coraraands In chief; they are men of such dif
ferent character that it is impossible to see them together without
being interested ; the one Is all heat and energy, what he has im
raediately in view he will certainly accomplish if It be possible,
buti should think him too hasty to be well calculated for anything
that requires much combination; he is strictly what is called a
very fine fellow, and I should think an excellent seaman. The
other is rauch raore circumspect, at the same time that he
possesses perhaps an equal share of energy, and I take bim to
be a much abler raan. Whenever I have seen him he has
raade himself in a manner the Atlas of the whole operation,
and even here he would not leave us when there was nothing to
do in his owu sphere, until it was out of character for him to
go further. I do not think he Is liked in the navy, nor do I
think he need be much mortified at this ; he Is what they call
too meddling, by which they mean to imply (without being
aware of it) that he makes hiraself very useful upon all occasions
and in all ways ; he is so used to be actively employed, and Is
besides naturally so bustling, that what is evidently an exertion

132 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
with raost men is reduced to a habit with him, and this I take
to be a great point gained In the discharge of public business.
' %th. — I have just been with the general, and I find there
is a post going off this evening. We are going to ride out
towards the lines in an hour or two, and I hope I shall be able
in ray next letter to give you a favourable account of our
proceedings against Flushing. The French made an unsuc
cessful sortie last night. Lord Huntly's division, I have just
heard, are to land immediately In South Beveland ; and Colonel
Walker is of course with thera. I am sorry to find the general
thinks he cannot frank frora hence, although I verily believe
he Is raistaken, and I ara, therefore, afiraid I shall bear heavy '
upon you this time.' 'Middelburg: August 11, 1S09.
'My dear Sophia,— I have since I wrote to you last
been bringing up leeway, as the sailors call it, and I am In
hopes that I am at last nearly upon a par with my neighbours —
I mean in point of raaking myself acquainted with all that has
been going forward since my blindness came over rae, of which
I have now quite got the better.
' You see. Flushing still bids us defiance. Our batteries
open, we are confidently promised, immediately. They are
threatening us with salt water to drink, if we do not bring
them to terms soon. Our preparations are certainly formid
able. ' The general is indefatigable ; he Is out every day looking
at the works. I usually accompany him, but really more
en a.mateur than because I have any business there ; however,
it is a satisfaction to see all that is going forward, where the
most trifling incident is interesting.
' I have this moment left Henry in the street, and could
not prevail upon him to dine with us. I think he Is right, as
it is as well to be in the way as much as possible. His regi-
' Two shillings and fourpence was the postage charged on the letter, which
iveighed one ounce.

MT. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gom?n. 133
ment is at the camp, but I assure you they are very snugly
lodged. ' I have not told you, I believe, that this is the time of the
fair in this town. The week which has just passed was the
period of Its duration, but our arrival, so mal a propos, has
detained them beyond the tirae fixed for their departure, and
they will be forced to keep open shop here till some comrauni
cation is opened with their horaes. They affect to regret this,
but they are robbing us of our raoney every day, and I think
will gain raore by their disappointment than if they had been
hurried off, in obedience to the fair-laws — a ridiculous appli
cation of the term where there is so rauch foul play going
forward. They come from Amsterdam and all parts of
Brabant and Flanders. They have a nuraber of curious
things, and I dare say raany that you would be conjurors to
get in England at this time, if we knew it. . . .'

'Middelburg: August 16, 1809
' The mail which brings you this will, In all probability,
put you in possession of the particulars of the surrender of
Flushing, although I believe it is not all settled at this raoment.
These French generally bewilder us for, at least, eight-and-
forty hours before we can discover whether they are serious
with us or not, and we consider ourselves fortunate If we at
last contrive, soraehow or other, to bring them Into honest day
light. However, their situation in this instance is so dis
tressing that there is little chance of our getting into a scrape
with them this time.
' We are all very well, all you know at least. I will detail
them to you that I may rob you of the slightest grounds for
alarm — Henry, Sir Howard, Colonel Walker, and I. The three
former I saw quite well yesterday after all hostilities had ceased,
and the last of the four I had the good fortune to behold this
morning in a looking-glass, very rosy, and rauch refreshed,
apparently, after a sound sleep, which it appears he was not a
little in want of last night.

134 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
' I must not omit telling you I had the good luck to accom
pany the two negotiators into the town yesterday. I was the
medium through which secrets of State were passed between
the comraander-in-chief and the two negotiators. Althouffh
this eraployraent was attended with a little inconvenience, as I
shall presently explain to you, I would not have raissed it for
a trifle. I had an opportunity of conversing for several hours
with their principal officers, and particularly with the two
generals, Munet and Austin (not being admitted to a part
in the grand debate, which was all this time carrying forward
between the French deputies and ours) ; and although this
conversation led to raany painful sensations, you will easily
conceive how interesting it was to rae.
' When I tell you we have bombarded the town for two
days and nights successively and employed our most for
midable raeans by sea and land, you will not be unprepared
for a tale of distress. Two hundred of the people are said to
have suffered within these two days. They certainly aggra
vated many circumstances in order to mortify us, but the truth
on these occasions is too much to bear with decency. The
town is described as being iu a raanner destroyed, at least in
its buildings, and in everything it held valuable. The best
excuse I can have for not bearing witness or having the
satisfaction to refute any of these statements Is that they
always led me blindfold backwards and forwards, from the
town to their advanced posts. However, I am afraid we have
among ourselves too many foundations from which to draw
such inferences, for it was one sheet of flame the whole of the
second night. It was certainly not so painful an object as
Copenhagen in flames, because it Is not the Government seat
of a nation, nor can it be supposed to have contained anything
of value, In a literary point of view, that can have suffered ;
as a violation (a necessary one, however) of humanity, it was
the same thing. The garrison do not appear to have suffered
so much as we had reason to expect: they contrived to shelter
themselves wherever shelter was to be had. There is a hand
some thing they did by an officer of ours who was taken

^T. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 135
prisoner the other day. When the bombardment comraenced,
the general lodged hira in his own house, but this neighbour
hood was found to be so hot that he packed hira off to where
all the woraen (for I ara sorry to say that many are said to
have been in town) had taken refuge. This, of course, was
the safest place ; it was what every one sees ought to have been
done on such an occasion, but it is not always we find people
so considerate in trifles when objects of much greater moment
are presenting theraselves, for it was, coraparatively, a trifle.
By all accounts, I think we shall take about three thousand
men. You will find our loss has not been trifling during the
last fortnight ; not greater, however, than might have been
expected. One of the French remarked to me, rather sarcas
tically, that we had thrown bullets and shells enough at them
during the last two days to have ruined a poor nation ;
I believe I told him it was fortunate to have shoulders
equal to the weight on these occasions. I had a difficult card
to play for poor Middelburg. They have a strong suspicion
that the people here have received us rather too courteously,
and more so than compulsion alone would justify. So that if
ever it falls into their hands again, it is natural to suppose
they will make them pay handsomely for what they term leur
perfdie. Mostly frora policy, and I really believe In sorae
measure from goodwill towards us, for they have suffered much
from the French, they pay us much deference ; not quite so
much, howeyer, as Munet seems to imagine. He asked rae,
' Et le Bourgraestre, qu'est-ce qu'il a fait de son ruban ?
je suppose qu'il I'a mis dans sa poche.' By the riband he means
the order he wears in honour of the King of Holland. How
ever, I took great pains to rescue poor Middelburg,
and assured hira that the Bourgraestre, In whose house
General Brownrigg lives, had not doused his colours, as the
sailors say ; and he really has not. However, I suppose he
will. There is an anecdote told of hira of which it Is our Interest
to learn the truth. He has a beautiful room, In which I am
now sitting, ornamented with historical paintings relating to
the Netherlands. At the top and bottom of the room are

136 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1809.
full-length portraits of the last Stadtholder and the Princess of
Orange. When Louis Bonaparte visited him, some months
ago, he Is said to have placed a chair for his Majesty imme
diately under the portrait of the Prince of Orange, and, of
course, vis-a-vis de la princesse. The story concludes by
stating that the King flew into a violent passion, and pranced
into the next room, where he was not so unpleasantly haunted.
This is something too bold in the colouring, you will say ; but
I tell the story as It was told to me.
' Eight o'clock, Wednesday. — I have just heard that our
deputies returned at two o'clock this raorning. We have
been too long about it. They say, however, it is all settled.
I can tell you, too, that the delay was partly accidental ; this
is a fact, so that I think we shall come off better than we
generally do from a negotiation with the French. The general
Is pleased with the terras, which certainly augurs well ; I
raean my general. I am writing In a violent hurry, for I am
afraid of the messenger taking his departure precipitately. I
shall be able to tell you soon what are to be our future opera
tions.' To his Aunt.
'Zer Goes, South Beveland: August 21, 1809.
' The headquarters were moved to this place yesterday.
It is intended to advance thera as far as Crabbendyke early
to-morrow. You will see it on the raap, nearly at the eastern
extremity of the Island. . . .
' As to whether we are to proceed beyond this extremity,
upon ray word I am unable to satisfy you. I am convinced,
however, that it is a subject worthy the consideration of much
graver heads than mine. If I thought fit to throw off all stiff
ness of expression, I should say that it is at this raoment about a
" toss up " which way we go.
' Your late Gazettes containing the news from Spain have
thrown us into a state of suspense, that we are waiting with
no little anxiety to be rid of. It Is too proud a thing for the
country to adralt of our wishing that it had not been, and our
history would have been robbed of one of its brightest pages ;

iET. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm, 137
but it is already studded with so many precious ornaments of
this kind, that one purchased at so sad a cost raight perha2)s
have been dispensed with at this moment. We hear that you
are all much elated in England at this event; it is certainly very
natural, for it has been glorious in a very high degree ; but it
Is too like the victory that Pyrrhus lamented to have gained
over the Romans to give such complete satisfaction when well
considered. To tell you the truth, I am afraid we have not
erred on the safe side this time. I believe Sir Arthur possesses
more military talent than any officer in our army, and much
judgment; but he Is impetuous, and I am afraid his ardent
spirit has blinded him for a moment to the consequences to
which even brilliant victory raust expose an army situated as
his is. After all that has passed before his eyes he cannot
surely place any reliance upon these degenerate Spaniards,
and if the failure of Sir .Tohn Moore was insufficient to prove
to him how little should be risked In their favour, the circum
stances of his own march through the country and their be
haviour In the late battle, one would think, should be fully equal
to serving such a purpose. We learn from his own despatches
how careless the Government have been of forwarding his
operations, and 1 have seen several most detailed accounts of
the battle, which all join in celebrating the ill-behaviour of our
allies ; and by all accounts the Dutch behaved not half so ill
at Fontenoy as the Spaniards at Talavera. If he is not yet
content he may try his luck further with them ; he is already
one of the raost fortunate men to be met with in military
history, but if he is not well on his guard he will dress out a
suit of sables for his country, that the raost brilliant success we
can be graced with in this part of the world will not be worthy
to withdraw frora her shoulders. The latest accounts from his
army mention a report of Soult having broken up from Sala
manca, and that he had comraenced bis march on Placentia.
This, If true, will be worth while attending to ; in short, I
believe I have written enough to convince you that we are
hard to please In Zealand, and that we are becoraing like the
owners of the soil, a very cloudy set.'

138 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [18C9.
'Bathoz: Monday, 28th.
' When I left off here I had some hopes of being able to
despatch my letter the following morning ; I was, however, dis
appointed, but I have already been served several tricks of this
sort, so that you must even put up with my old news. We have
been here four days, for the purpose of keeping up a readier
comraunication with the navy, I believe everything is finally
settled, and I guess we go no further, but upon my word it is a
very guess, for they are uncommonly mysterious ; to-morrow
headquarters return to Goes. Sophia shall hear from me Im
mediately if I am raistaken.
' Henry is at Flushing. We are all well here. We under
stand they have a trick either on this or your side the water
of opening our letters; if true, it is a shabby one, particularly
as they have not put us on our guard against writing naughtily.
It would require sorae very out-of-the-way Information to repay
them for the pains of reading one of mine ; and by the time
you have got so far, I think I may make sure of getting you
to vouch for rae. I long to hear a better account of you.
When any of you write you may put your letter under cover
to General Brownrigg. Give ray best love to Sophia and Miss
Goldsworthy. Colonel Walker Is at Walcheren, and I have
every reason to believe quite well.
' Believe rae, my dear aunt,
' Your ever affectionate nephew,
' William Gomm.'
There are no further letters to be found from Captain
Gomm respecting the end of this disastrous campaign ; he
retired with the rest of Lord Chatham's army into the fever-
stricken swamps of Vfalcheren. Here the mortality among
the troops was most fearful, and before the end of the year the
sorry remains of the expeditionary force had to be withdrawn.
The total nuraber of deaths during the occupation amounted to
7,000, and nearly double that nuraber were sent horae sick, thus
reducing the strength of the force by raore than 50 per cent.
Captain Gomm himself contracted the fever, from which

iET. 24.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 139
few of the expedition escaped, and during four years of active
service In the Peninsula he continued to suffer from it. It
was frequently his practice, as appears from his memoranda, to
carry a bottle of bark In his holster pipe instead of a pistol.
The fever does not seem to have finally left him till it was, as
he put it, ' scared away 'in the trenches before San Sebastian in
1813, When afterwards, that same year, he was wounded at
the battle of the Nive, the musket ball penetrated the holster
pipe whose occupant, he says, was no longer the bottle of bark.
Twenty millions sterling are believed to have beensquaudered
upon this futile expedition.
It Is no wonder that this untoward result roused Into a
flame the ill-smothered embers of a conflagration in the Duke
of Portland's administration, and effected a change in the
raost important offices of the State.
Mr. Canning, the Foreign Secretary, had for some time
been urging the dismissal of Lord Castlereagh frora his office
of Secretary of War and Colonies on account of his incapacity.
As this was not done, Mr. Canning himself resigned, and Lord
Castlereagh, feeling himself insulted, also resigned, and chal
lenged Mr. Canning, and on September 22 they fought the duel
in which Mr. Canning was wounded. About this time the Duke
himself also sent in his resignation, and almost immediately
died ; it was sorae time before a new ministry could be formed,
but on the failure of the attempted coalition a Tory ministry
was formed by Mr. Spencer Perceval, the Marquis of Wellesley
being recalled from Spain to take Mr. Canning's place as Secre
tary for Foreign Affairs.
This was, indeed, a time of great national depression, and
there was general distress prevailing throughout the manufac
turing districts owing to the stagnation of trade. The power
of Napoleon may be considered this year to have reached its
height. Holland became incorporated with France, and the
Emperor was enabled to concentrate his best troops under
Massena on the war in the Peninsula, which was carried on
with varying success. It had been the intention of the Wal
cheren expedition to draw off Napoleon's forces from Spain,
but the attempt was vain, and the failure complete.

140 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I0.

CHAPTER vm.
1810.
Peninsular War— Lisbon — Convent op BatalhA — The Portctguesb
Army — Thomar.
The 9th Reglraent, on their return, appear again to have
been quartered In Canterbury, and the winter of 1809-10 was
passed by thera in uncertainty as to whether they were to be
sent to the East Indies or to the war in the Peninsula. In the
beginning of March 1810, however, they were relieved of their
anxiety, and were ordered to erabark iraraediately for Spain.
' Lisbon : March 28, 1810.
' We entered the Tagus last night. We have had some
blov\'ing weather, but not more than is always the case at this
season. To-raorrow we land. We expect to remain in Lisbon
a few days to prepare ourselves for marching to join the army
about Coimbra or Vizeu. I hear they are In high spirits here ;
I have not been on shore yet.' • Lisbon : March 29.
' We landed yesterday, and expect to halt here a week or
ten days ; then to proceed to join the army. I gave you a
prospect of an improving season in ray last letter ; but I am
sorry to find upon closer inquiry that, although nothing can
be milder or more constant than the climate is at present, we
have still an April of rain to look forward to ; unless it Is
decreed that the knowing ones should be taken in this time,
which we are all praying raay be the case ; otherwise, it may
chance to persecute us en pleine marche, which is by no means
to be desired. Our horses, I ara glad to tell you, are arrived.
I have not yet seen them. We hear they are safe, but In point

MT. 25.] Sir Willia?n Maynard Gomm. 141
of condition rather a la Roqinante, so that they raust be pam-
})ered iraraediately. I have not yet had tirae to find Mr,
Stuart, I have, however, ascertained that he is in town.
' I raust not deceive you by telling you that Lisbon Is
improved in its appearance since I last left it. The French
had been exercising a very strict discipline araong thera, and
in no branch more pointedly than in that of keeping their town
clean ; and as we are told that every evil of necessity involves
some good, the assertion is strongly supported in this instance ;
for these graceless fellows, In the midst of all their enormities,
had nearly succeeded In reducing our good city of Lisbon to a
sense of cleanliness when they handed thera over to us. They
at least made no scruple of pointing out to them the deformity
of their manners, and this was reasonably the first step to be
taken. We have since suffered them to relapse, aud if I can
trust my remembrance so far back as the tirae of ray first visit
among thera, I should say decidedly that the disease, according
to the old rule. Is more virulent than it was before its progress
was checked. It Is a pity, because I do not think that our
modern travellers or pamphleteers allow the national charac
ter to be such a patchwork of perfections that a charge of
cleanliness should be suspected of passing for an incumbrance
in the tout ensemble of the whole, as a learned fiiend of mine
sometiraes says. To be candid, however, I believe that in the
relation in which we stand towards them we have a difficult
card to play in this respect ; and that it may be done with a
better grace by the French than by us Is clear, since It is one of
the heaviest grievances they complained of, and an invasion of
their dearest rights. I shall only add they are spoiled children
now, and, to one who has just left Middelburg, the cleanest
town In the world, very dirty dogs.
' The last accounts frora the frontier are encouraging. The
French are said to be showing a disposition to retire in the
north. It can only be from a want of provisions, and I think
it is one very likely to exist among thera. Cadiz, above all,
is interesting at this raoraent ; the same difficulties are said to
be gaining ground among them. A division of Guards has

142 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isio.
just passed on to its support. We have certainly manao'ed
exceedingly well in all this business.' 'Lisbon : April 0, 1810.
' I have had so little opportunity of seeing Lisbon hitherto
that, although I am paying my third visit to it. It Is almost new
to me. I have, therefore, all the advantages of a man who
keeps his Saturday paper to read on Sunday, The first time
I was here I did not care about it, and the second time I was
forced to care about soraething else, for there was a great deal
of fagging cut out about that time for the worthy Deputy
Assistant Quartermaster-General's Department. . . .
' I am trying hard at this moment to recollect all I had
hitherto learnt of the Portuguese language, and to separate it
from others that have popped In upon it.
' We had no sooner become familiar with the squeak of a
Portuguese than we were led away to listen to the gargling
tones of a Spaniard. This, however, was not so bad ; but to
add the grunting of a Dutch boor to both of these is monstrous ;
it out-Herods Herod.
' As I am satisfied that nothing tends so much to conciliate
the affections of a people towards you as the conforming to
their manners and customs, it is worth the attention of any one
who comes among them to waste a little study upon this ; and
I am certain that no sacrifice will be apt to win them sooner
than the practice of talking their language.
' I attend all the public places I can get admission to, and have
a great deal to say to theorange-woraen, particularly theold ones.
You haveno Idea of their loquacity In this country ; they beat you
all out-and-out after they arrive at a certain age. They are
like Shakespeare's Caliban — eloquent, though not handsome.
To speak more to the point, they are hideously ugly when they
become old. The climate provides thera with a tawny, walnut
complexion, and most of those I have seen might pass at a
masquerade for the Tisiphone of the ancients, or the Hecate
of raore modern tiraes, without owing anything to colouring or
dress whatever beyond their daily wearing. I have thought it
necessary to say so much in their behalf, because you must

iET. 25.J Sir William Maynard Gomm. 143
allow that it is most excellent practice for me, and no danger
of getting into a scrape, here at least. Eloquence, I allow,
under any other combination, raight give you raore alarra, and
I therefore do not risk a tete-a-the with anything under seventy.
' I saw Mr. Stuart on Sunday ; he invited rae to dine with
hira the sarae day. He recollects having met H. when he was
retreating with the Junta from Madrid upon Badajos.
' I dare say you recollect Henry's story about the coach
and six. He inquired much after him, and frequently after
aunt and yourself. He likewise talked to me about Countess
Bruhl, and expressed himself very handsomely for the atten
tion he recollects having received frora her while at Berlin.
As his house Is the grand emporium of news, I could not help
learning some from him.
' I am afraid we shall march earlier than we expected ; I
certainly wish to remain here till the Semaine Sainte is over.
' When I have anything very important to say, I raust con
trive to write to General Benson and Sir Howard ; but I shall
be in high luck if I contrive to get off on these occasions with
out being charged with idleness by one party or the other ; for
it is not always recollected that it is at these times we are least
at liberty to do as we wish.
' Itli. — It is raining all this day. Those who are determined
to look upon the fair side of the picture content themselves that
there is the less to corae. I wish it raay be just so. We shall
certainly march in the course of a very few days. We received
an order to equip for the field yesterday.' 'Lisbon: April 12, 1810.
' They are still suffering us to loll on the lap of ease, and
give us reason to hope we shall yet remain here long enough
to have our curiosity gratified. However, I am sufficiently
practised in my profession to be on my guard against treachery
in this instance, and have therefore been busily employed
since I last wrote to you In providing myself with a mule for
the conveyance of my lumber. I have succeeded wonderfully
well, if Tom's judgment is oracular; ; for he says he is sure the

144 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isio.
mule will carry my establishment with pleasure. I shall not
answer for so much as Tom has ventured to do, but think he
will do so with tolerable ease to himself. And considering that
the animal is naturally stubborn and perverse, this is all we
can reasonably expect, . , . ' ¦Saturday, 14th.
' A mail arrived this raorning from the army ; It brino-g
no order whatever respecting our moving. The French ap
pear to have withdrawn a corps they had pushed forward
towards Almeida, and threaten nothing very tremendous at
present. ' I shall give you an account of our next busy week, if we
are allowed to pass It here,' 'Lisbon: April 21, 1810.
' I am just returned from hearing the " Hallelujah " sung In
the abbey church at Belera,
' In one of the squares before I reached the church, which
Is about three miles from ray house, I observed a large con
course of the lower orders asserabled, and I was In hopes I
had fallen In with a procession of one of the orders of monks
which I have been in vain endeavouring to waylay through
the whole week ; but upon closer inspection I was disappointed
to find the attention was taken up with two figures of men in
effigy, dangling frora something like a gibbet ; and the people
were taking unusual interest In offering them all sorts of in
dignities. These were Jews. I was on the point of learning
more of the ceremony when suddenly up went the Jews on the
wings of a firebrand, to the no small surprise of myself and
the utter disconcerting of my poor horse, who made a spring as
If he meant to be after the Jews, and leave me behind. How
ever, he was not so well equipped for the flight as these gentle
men were, for I learnt afterwards that the managers of the
exhibition had lodged a certain number of sky-rockets and
other combustibles within the victims ; so that by setting fire
to a certain train, which they were about when I arrived, an
instant conflagration and explosion took place, and the shout
ings of the people crowned the catastrophe. They asked me

J3T. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 145'
whether we served Jews so on these occasions; and I told them
by all means ; for if we do not look sharp they will be serving
us in the same way shortly ; for I -believe, if the truth were
known, they look upon us as soraething between the Jews and
theraselves, but much nearer akin to the Jews!
' Here is some news, very generally believed In Lisbon to
day: Madrid evacuated by the French and entered by the
Spaniards ; the French retreating at all points from Spain, and
an insurrection in France. We have no thoughts of moving at
present. I have some hopes I shall continue to get ray letters
sent to you free or almost ; a consummation devoutly to be
wished, you will say, I have received many attentions fro 111
Mr, Stuart since I last raentioned him to you,' 'Lisbon: May 2, 1810,
' We are still here, nor do I see any reason to be fearful
that we shall move soon. I say to be fearful becai^se, really,
unless the army is employed in the field, it will suit both my
convenience and taste much more to reraain In Lisbon than to
be staggering idly-busy up and down the country without an
object. Some wise Greek used to say that for his part he found
nothing very interesting in the contemplation of hedgerows
and ploughed fields, and he thought all that was worth know
ing could be learnt in Athens. We are all of his opinion to a
man ; and while things last as they now stand. It Is to be hoped
our fighting character will run no risk of suffering in your
opinion, for there seems to be nothing serious Intended imrae
diately on the part of the French ; and if the truth were well
known, I think It likely our movements will depend a great
deal upon theirs. We hear constantly of their appearing in
force upon the frontier, but they as regularly disappear ; and
until this latter part of the performance Is dispensed with on
their part, it Is probable we shall not be disturbed. Besides,
I have, since I wrote to you last, extended the sphere of my
acquaintance Into rather a respectable neighbourhood ; and this
is a fresh Inducement, if I wanted one, to make me avoid the
society of stone walls, and so forth. I.

146 The Earlier Letters and Journals of (I810.
' I have been at two balls here, and at one which Mr.
Stuart gave the other night, a very splendid one.
' We had a bolero in the course of the evening, danced by
two ladies.
' This laudable practice of Mr. Stuart's (for I am happy to
learn it is to be a practice) is at present in its infancy, this
having been the first given since his arrival ; but we expect a
repetition of it every fortnight.' 'Lisbon: May 29, 1810.
' We hear nothing new from the frontier. At Cadiz, if
reports are true, things go on better than can be expected ; the
French are said to be giving up all hopes of reducing it, and
their regiments to be deserting methodically. The war Iu
Spain, I believe, is very unpopular among thera. To return
to Lisbon : there are two balls every fortnight — one given by
the Admiral, the other by Mr. Stuart. I have given you the
character of both, I believe ; and If they do not continue to be
consistent, jt is because they improve. Mr. Stuart's in particu
lar are the handsomest things of the kind I have ever wit
nessed, and do him great credit. It is not a mere trifle that
the country should be well represented in this way, although
not of vital consequence. I dine frequently with hira, and he
is always very attentive to me whenever I meet him. I am
rauch pleased with his manner of speaking of my aunt Briihl.
Whatever attentions she may have had an opportunity of show
ing him while at Berlin he has done ample justice to in the
manner in which he has recollected them.
' Sir Brent Spencer is just arrived here, and gone up the
country. I called at his house an hour after he left the town.
I shall make rayself known to him if I should happen at any
time to get into his neighbourhood with the army. At present
we have no prospect of moving.
' Troops arriving from England will possibly drive us
forward.' ' Lisbon : June 7, 1810.
' I believe I can give you no news of any consequence from

MT. 2.5.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 147
the frontier ; it is said that Massena has been declared King of
Portugal and Regent of Spain during the absence of Joseph
Bonaparte : and the Lusitanian Court is held for the present
at Salamanca. We are much in the dark about this gentle
man ; and as twilight and fear are both very active agents in
swelling the size of objects beyond their natural proportions, he
is at present very tall in our estimation here ; and they think he
is presently to come, like Caesar's spirit, and, "in these con
fines with a monarch's voice, cry ' Havock,' and let slip the dogs
of war." If such is to be the case, we raust try and raake
another Actseon of this ralghty hunter, if we can only get the
ladies to help us ; for I need not tell you the piece is not to be
got up without their interference, If report says true, the
dogs are not ill-disposed to perforra their part, for we hear of
their deserting very frequently, \t present we have no pro
spect of leaving Lisbon.
' We have had for the last week or two such a succession
of sultry, oppressive heat that the ]Portuguese have changed
their object of terror for a time, and Massena has given way to
an earthquake. However, Massena has come upon them again,
with lightning and rain at his heels, and I believe he will keep
his ground, for the earthquake seeras to be put off for the pre-
. sent. You will have had accounts before this reaches you of the
raelancholy fate of the prisoners on board t\yQ of the hulks at
Cadiz. The story of these poor Frenchraen who were taken
with Dupont, whenever if is detailed, will form an era In the
history of martyrdom. I believe all is going on well at Cadiz.
Vallasteros is reported to have gained some advantages over
the French in the neighbourhood of Seville ; but to what ex
tent I know not.' 'Lisbon : June IS. 1810.
' At last the long-expected order has arrived for moving us
up the country. We raarch on Thursday. Three out of the
four regiraents in garrison here^the 4th, 9th, and 38th--
raarch to Leyria. The 83rd remain. Whether this is in con
sequence of any movement on the frontier, or, which Is full as
likely, of an expected arrival of fresh troops from England, I

148 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
know not. Since we are moving, however, I had rather It
should be in this direction than in the other, towards Badajos.
You must recollect that the army passed through Leyria in its
advance against Junot, so that we have something raore than
our curiosity to gratify, in returning to this part of the country,
so near the scene of our exploits, etc.
' I hardly think we shall remain in Leyria, but we saw
enough of it to recommend it as a quarter, and I dare say we
shall keep frora starving, if it should be the order of the day
(which, however, I have my doubts about), as long as our
neighbours. I believe it is about five days' march from Lisbon.
The bad weather seems at last to be completely at an end,
and they promise us settled summers for a thousand years to
come. Be this as it may, we may think ourselves very for
tunate In escaping all that has passed over us, so much at our
ease. ' You have heard, I dare say, by this time, of Massena's
having declared himself King of Portugal and hangman to all
the English officers he can entrap in the Portuguese service ;
don't believe a word of It ; he has done neither one nor the
other. Indeed the first does not sound very probable, and for
the second, although I do not take him to be all in all a prenx
chevalier, he would hardly give such a stimulus to the spirit
of knight errantry among the English as this would go to
produce. Tell aunt I ara very much obliged to her for her
good advice, and shall follow it to the letter; for although she
must know that General Payne Is gone home, Sir Brent has
slipped into his boots, and I ara sure if aunt could have fore
stalled events, for Payne she would have written Spencer. I
am still to be Vicar of Bray, you see. Thank aunt also for
trying to get me a crowquill to Lord Wellington — the ac
quaintance I have made with him is so very slight that I can
not build upon It as It stands, and I should like very well to be
acquainted with him better. . , , ' ' Leyria : June 29, 1810.
' The post which arrived here yesterday from Lisbon
brings us the intelligence of two packets having arrived from

iET. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 149
England since we began our march ; with the agreeable ad
dition, that all our letters have been sent up to the head
quarters of the army at Celloileo ; so that we raay whistle for
them till we have learnt patience, and then da cupo ; for I dare
say they will be kept in lavender for us, expecting our arrival
one day or other.
' We ended our raarch several days ago, and with It, I must
add, our labours ; for since the rains have ceased, the heat has
been more Intense than ever I have felt it in this country. We
consequently took the liberty of benighting ourselves as much
as possible ; but several of our marches were so very long that
we were forced to be " borrowers of the day " for a hot hour or
twain, and on these occasions Sir Phoebus took ample revenge
upon us for the trick we had played him. How long we stay
here is very uncertain. I believe I have already told you that
since they sent us out of Lisbon, I hoped it would be to raake
use of us ; but If they have no room for us at present at the
scene of action, I shall be very well content to be left here
some time longer. I am very well lodged ; and as If it was in
tended I should always be well taken care of, I have this time a
Portuguese doctor for ray host. He is a character of the first
order ; in appearance aud carriage he is quite a la. Quichotte,
and when he has his pictured jacket and slippers on, and struts
about ray roora (which is a very long one), I am positive a
painter would not desire a raore lively Image of the knight, if
he wanted to give us an idea of him about a week before he set
out on his tour. He is rather hypochondriac, and In the raost
raven tones you ever heard he croaks in my ear, " Ah ! la
guerre I la guerre ! " This he does more than twice a day.
He says It Is very strange to him that while he is doing all he
can to keep men alive they should be hard at work putting one
another out of the way ; and one or the other of us must be
wrong. This morning he came into ray room before I was
well awake, and with a face full as ugly as the man's who
" drew Priam's curtain in the dead of night," told me the
French had taken Ciudad Rodrigo, and were battering Almeida
and Badajos. He might have added with the same guns, and

150 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
there would have been as good authority for the latter part of
the story, I believe, as for the beginning.
' To prove to you that we raean to be very good friends,
when he made his exit this morning he read my name on the
cover of ray trunk, and exclaimed, "Ah, M. le Capitaine Gomm ;
c'est un bon capitaine, et je serai toujours son ami, parce qu'il
est tres police." So rauch at present for ray worthy doctor.
' This town, frora its situation, has been a thoroughfare for
all the troops of all nations that have passed through the
country, and by their own account they are as little indebted
almost to those who came to protect as to those who came to
plunder them. The doctor says they have had all the world ex
cept Russians and Turks among thera, and he declares these are
to corae. They all complain therefore of their poverty, and we
feel for them with no common concern, for the disease is epi
demic. The markets are poorly supplied, and there is no wine to
be had In the town that one can drink ; Indeed, they say it is not
to be had in the country : at the same time do not believe but
that we are raany degrees removed from danger of starvation,
since we are still hankering after luxuries.
' The country about Leyria is beautiful. I never was more
delighted than with a ride I took yesterday, to a convent of the
Dominican order, about two leagues from here. If you have
ever looked into a collection of plates treating of this kind of
architecture, you raust have raet with a representation of it, for
it is held up as a model by all the cognoscenti, and considered
as the most beautiful in its kind existino'. o
' It was built about four centuries ago, by John the First, to
commemorate a great victory he gained over the Spaniards and
Moors at Aljubarrota, somewhere in the neighbourhood, and
thence it takes its name, Batalha. It is composed of two dif
ferent sorts of architecture : the church is Gothic, In the sarae
style with the other buildings of the kind in these countries, and
very handsome. .At the east end of it there was to have been
a Moorish chapel, symbolical, I suppose, of the double triumph I
have raentioned ; but the architect died while he was completing
this part of his work, and there was none hardy enough to con-

MT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 1 5 [
tiiiue it after him. He had, however, gone near enough to com
plete all but the roof, aud as it stands it has all the appearance,
at first sight, of a ruin. I confess to you that I was romantic
enough for five rainutes to regret that they had undeceived me
on this point, for I certainly could not help thinking it more
respectable and interesting as a ruin than as an unfinished
piece of work ; however, I believe, for the interest of the artist,
the whole truth should out; for great judges say that an un
finished work, from the hand of a great master, will generally
raise higher expectations in the observer than are often
answered in its completion ; and if so, I congratulate him in
this Instance, for he had a great deal to answer for. Nothing
can be more encumbered with ornament than this style of
architecture ; but the work Is so exquisitely well Carried through
that it immediately called to my mind Walter Scott's idea when
he says that the carving upon the pillars was as if some fairy or
other dealer in magic had wreathed together branches of trees
with their foliage on, and suddenly turned thera to stone, so
lightly and cunningly wrought they were. Indeed, the whole
account of Melrose alraost, is but an accurate and prosaic de
scription of this beautiful building, even to the painted glass, of
which there is a great deal, and very fine, in the church ; and It
Is almost the only one in the country in which I have seen it. I
regretted much when I passed through Leyria before that I
could not find time to visit this chef-d'muvre of its kind,
for like all other things that are worth having, it is not
to be got at without some pains, as It lies entirely out of
the high-road, in the midst of a thick wood of pine and olive
trees, and suiTOunded by hills, and is by no means to be
stumbled upon. But it Is a beautiful ride from this ; and as I
raean frequently to visit It myself, I shall make it my business
to have it courted in its retirement by all the persons of taste I
can find. There are about thirty monks living in the convent,
Dominicans, who really know its history (as raany of thera at
least as I had an opportunity of questioning) tolerably well,
aud can tell you who founded it, and who the architect
was, where he was buried, and many other particulars ; and

152 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
perhaps why It was founded, but of this I ara not sure, for I did
not ask thera. I owe this flight to my doctor, who is going to
lend me a history of the country, which I intend making ray
way through, unless I should be enleve or tire en route, and
I shall perhaps be able in the course of ray paper-travels to
pick up soraething more particular about the battle, and tack it
onto whatever new I shall discover on the subject, when I write
again. There is, besides, a ruined castle belonging to this
town, that I am always looking at. It raust have been a place
of great strength, when such things were strong, and is now one
of the raost picturesque objects that can be raet with, and likely
to command more respect from its years than from Its military
preparations. We have, however, sent some guns up to it
lately, for the purpose of scouring a road leading into the town
on the north side, in case it should ever be trod again by un
hallowed feet ; and they will answer the purpose very well.
' The hill on which it stands rises suddenly from the middle
of the town, perfectly separate frora and coraraanding every
thing about it ; covered on one side with thick wood, and on
the other, after a certain height, commences a rugged, perpen
dicular rock, and crowning the top of this is the old ruined
castle ; nothing can be raore striking than it is.
' The doctor has just been with me, and declares that If the
English reraain sorae tirae longer in Leyria he will positively
learn English, for he says he has a great raany lumieres and
a dictionary, and he will learn It, he calculates, in about two
months. ' The latest accounts from Ciudad Rodrigo say that the
French have not yet brought up their battering train. From
Cadiz we hear nothing lately.' 'Thomar: July 8, 1810.
' My letter from Leyria will convince you that we have not
been taken by surprise, as well as In a hurry, frora that neigh
bourhood. We received a very short notice, and after two days'
raarch arrived here yesterday. We paced it in the shade
alraost the whole way ; raarching continually through woods
of olive and pine.

MT. 2.';.] Sir William Maynard Gom^n. 153
' It would puzzle rae as rauch to tell you what Is to become of
us now as it did from Leyria ; no one has impudence enough
even to guess at it seriously. You will perceive from the map
that our present position renders us equally come-at-able for
either division of the army on the frontier. General Hill is
at Portalegri, and Lord Wellington In the neighbourhood of
Alraeida. Fame has been wildly at work within these few
days, and sent General Hill with his division across the Tagus
to Castel Branco, but no one believes it here. All I can say
is that this raove of ours seems intended to render us as
manageable for him as for any one else, and we shall raost prob
ably help to watch the passes of the Tagus about Abrantes and
Punhete, or the other entrances by the two Idanhas and Castel
Branco. The French really seera to be all inactivity for some
tirae past, certainly frora incapacity ; for I believe they have
very good Intentions of proceeding hitherward as soon as they
can. We, on the other hand, are all preparation ; we have seen
more to put us in spirits within the last two days than we
have since we entered the country. You must know I am one
of those who think there Is something in the Portugfuese, like
the rest of us ; and that alraost the same effects may be pro
duced upon them, by the sarae causes, as in other cases. I
have thought so all along, but we like to see our prejudices,
whatever they raay be, confirraed.
' We found here, on our arrival, the Lusitanian legion.
This Is the Portuguese corps of light troops which brought
Itself so much into notice under Sir Robert Wilson (whose
praises, by-the-bye, they never cease to sound) when he led them
into the rear of the French armies, then in the neighbourhood
of Talavera, and scoured the whole country almost to the
suburbs of Madrid, embarrassing them excessively. They
necessarily lost raany during this enterprising excursion, and
their ranks have been since filled with recruits. They have
been quartered here about three raonths, and raarched out of
the town this evening for Torres Novas, just after they had
completed their equipment in arms and clothing, everything of
which Is English. It is not a little gratifying to us to have

154 TJie Earlier L^etters and Journals of [1810.
this work going on immediately under our eyes ; and we may
say of the resources of England what Burke applied to the
fine arts of painting and statuary, ' that they had extended
the boundaries of creation ' ; for till within these very few
raonths Portugal had no armies, nor the raeans of raising them,
even when her existence was at stake ; and now that an army
should be ready to take the field, calculated at fifty thousand men
— certainly less, but perhaps really thirty— clothed, equipped,
disciplined, and the national spirit roused, all this sjieaks loudly
for England, and betrays a vigorous j)olicy at least. . . .
' Saturday. — I raade out so long a story last night about
our proteges that you will hardly expect I should resume the
subject this morning. I have, however, only told you of one
corps, of about 1,600 raen, that I have seen. Since they
raarched out of the town, the 3rd and 15th Battalions of the
line have arrived frora Coimbra, and have made rae if possible
more presumptuous than ever; they are all young, full of
spirit, and with discipline enough, even now, to proraise every
thing that ought to be expected from them. There is no
ascertaining what the plans are, th'ire are so many idle re
ports, but we hear It Is intended that the Portuguese should
be put to the trial in the first instance. I had rather
they should keep them up till an opportunity should
offer of giving them a little confidence in an indirect
manner ; such as allowing them to take a subordinate part
in whatever the British may at first happen to be engaged in,
and should anything of some little consequence take place,
nothing could be so easy as for those at the head of affairs to
heap a heavier load of applause upon our eleoes than they
might seriously deserve. It is easy to deceive raen on these
occasions, for you will always find them of the party to carry
on the cheat. I am only afraid our English blunderers will
take pains to undeceive thera when their raoraentary Interests
are concerned. But if we would have them overstep the
modesty of nature at the outset, we shall perhaps be disap
pointed, and be at a loss to recover their scattered spirits, after
suffering them to fail in a situation where it Is hardly reason-

MT. 2b.'] Sir IVilliam Maynard Gomm, 155
able to expect they should succeed. The great object is to
give them a confidence in theraselves ; it is impossible they
should have it now, for they do not know their own powers ;
and if this can be done, as I think it can, without risking
everything which the proposed plan goes near to do, there is
certainly a choice ; and I do think Lord Wellington will
make it to his advantage. Nothing will be more politic than to
let them loose when they are prepared for it, and give them
the post of honour then, as often as you please, for the fire
only burns with fresher ardour after it has gained a certain
head, from the application of those very means which would
have extinguished it altogether if applied at an earlier period.
We shall see ; and, after all. If we should chance to bungle it
a little at the beginning, you raust not raind that, for we are
in excellent spirits. I have run out to such an immeasurable
length that I can venture to say very little now about our
present abode ; it deserves, however, much to be said of It,
and we are rather gainers than losers, in every respect, since
we left Leyria. The country is, to the full, as beautiful, and
the markets better supplied. It Is a very ancient town, known
to the Romans, I believe, as a city, under the name of Nar-
bancia ; the river Narbonne, at that time, ran through it. The
town is now wholly on the right bank. It Is larger than
Leyria, and much handsomer. It was here that Marshal
Beresford organised almost all the Portuguese army. The
jieople are very obliging, and behave as they should to the
English. There Is one of the finest convents here (which I have
not yet had time to go over) in the whole country ; the three
regiments are quartered in it, and the officers In private houses
In the town. I have an excellent chateau, and have an op
portunity of hearing a great deal of good Portuguese talked every
day. I return bad for good at present, but they tell me that
there is a prospect of, as well as roora for, iraprovement in rae.
My poor Doctor Barbosa I left in sorry spirits, and looking
out with a great deal of solicitude for the completion of the
catalogue in the arrival of Russians and Turks ; and, in fact, I
believe he had as soon see these as any of the rest, for he cares

156 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
very little about any of us. However, there is more of ima
ginary than of real mischief done to a neighbourhood by the
continual passage of troops through it ; unless indeed they come
for purposes of devastation ; in other cases, the people must be
enriched, and thrown into exertion by it. Thank you for the
account you gave me of the Duke of Cumberland. I hope he
continues to recover, and am still curious to know what could
have induced the assassin to take so decided a part, which he
certainly performed most clumsily.' I am raost happy to find
that aunt and Goully continue well, and as you tell rae that
Princess Araelia is still getting better, I hope this will relieve
you all frora a great deal of anxiety.' 'Thomar: July 15, 1810.
' I shall write to you very frequently if we are allowed to
reraain at Thomar. No people are so idle as those who are
every moraent expecting to be called into activity. This is a
sort of fairyland for us at first sight, and I ara anxious to
report to you ray visions while an opportunity is perraitted me.
Whatever the advocates for a quiet life may tell us, I am posi
tive that wandering about makes observers of a great many
who would never have been such under other circumstances,
for we seem all of us to be naturally raore curious about
what happens at a distance frora horae than about what is
immediately near us and always before our eyes; often I am
sure through vanity and a desire of giving a piece of informa
tion to our corapatriots, which they raight never arrive at with
out being at the sarae pains.
' At all events, I think it is not likely that a man who has
' This refers to the attempted assassination of H.R.H. Ernest Augustus, Duke
of Cumberland. On the night of May 30-31, 18)0, when asleep in bed, he was
assailed by some villain with a sword and was wounded in several places. The
household was aroused, and on the porter going to call the Duke's Piedmontese
valet Sellis, the door of his room was found locked, and no answer being given tlie
door was burst open and Sellis was found dead in his bed with his throat cut from
ear to ear. There seemed to be no doubt that he was the would-be assassin, using
the Duke's own sabre, and that when the alarm was given at his door, he, in fear,
had committed suicide. The inquest returned a verdict oifelo de se, but the whole
aifair was most mysterious.

asT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 1 5 7
indulged himself in observing a good deal in other countries,
frora whatever motive, should give up the practice when he
returns to his own ; for besides the influence of habit and
other inducements, a certain esprit de corps will generally keep
him in motion, and make hira anxious to compare with ad
vantage what he finds here with what he has seen elsewhere ;
and so much in favour of vagabondising. Not a word since I
last wrote to you, either frora armies or fortresses ; ray story
will therefore treat of very little else than Thomar and rayself;
indeed, to talk of rayself I raust talk as well of Thomar, and
the faraily I am living with, for my day's work is very much in
terwoven with theirs. The master of my house was a Don some
thing de Silveira ; he died a very short tirae ago, and is spoken
of as a man of talent and rare qualities, rare indeed in this
country if they were his. His widow and son occupy the
house, and my being In It would be very embarrassing under
such circumstances (for she still continues to seclude herself),
if the house were not so large as to obviate every incon
venience. The son frequently pays rae a visit during the day,
and as he talks better Portuguese than French, he suffers rae
to jargonise with him, until I am forced to call In a little
French to my rescue. He is a fine young man, and really has
a tutor, who attends him daily. He has besides a cousin, of
whom I see still more, and he talks not a word of French, so
that my situation here Is desperate indeed. He is a young
man of seven or eight and twenty, and is a meraber of the
large convent here, of the Order di Chrlsto ; it is the first of
the order, and one of the principal ones in the country ; and I
understand that none but men of rank and interest can have
admission to it. Their possessions are extensive, and their
wealth I believe very great ; though they would have us to
understand that the French owe thera a good deal.
' However, so rauch has been laid to the account of these
dragons since they left the country, which they certainly plun
dered a good deal, that they have produced annihilation In
many instances. If one is to believe all ; for they are sometimes
charged with having laid violent hands upon what they certainly

T58 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
never took away with thera, and could with difficulty have
turned Into anything else to serve their purposes ; and yet all
traces of thera are gone. Let us rather believe such things
never existed than that the French were conjurors.
' Forraerly, I believe, the society in this convent was very
numerous ; at present it consists of about twenty ; they
seera, however, to be raore at their ease than friars In general,
and my friend gets leave of absence as often, and for as long a
time, as he chooses.
' His life after all seeras to be a very indolent one ; he reads
soraetlraes, but. If I am not raistaken, rather pour passer le
temps than for any serious purpose.
' . . . One reason why the affairs of these countries are so
rarely conducted by raen of talent appears to be that so many
raore frora those classes where talents are generally looked for
in other countries are by institution rendered Incapable of
meddling with public affairs. If one were not certain of being
assured of the origin, we might be tempted to regret that some
reformation hereabouts should not have been proposed by us
at the beginning as being in part payment for lending them our
assistance to get out of their present scrape ; but I confess this
would be requiring that we should be rauch better than our
neighbours ; and I believe after all such a bargain would
hardly have accelerated the object in view, for it seems to be
the business of all great revolutions to extirpate old abuses
and to establish new ones ; and I dare say this will not be an
exception. ' I have not told you yet how my hotel is situated. I take
up the greater part of one side of the principal square. Op
posite to rae is the post-office, on ray right hand the church,
and on my left the gaol and town hall. There is a market
under my window every day, and a very noisy one. Two or
three couriers generally arrive, from some part or other, in the
course of the day ; these gentlemen ride upon mules, at a canter,
the whole stage. The mules have bells hung at each ear, and
the rider wears a slouched hat and a whip. The whip is a
long one, and serves in the double capacity of whip and horn

iET. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 159
with us; for no sooner has the rider arrived within a hearing and
a half of the po.st-office, than off goes the whip, and you would
fancy, did you see and hear, that considerable bets had been laid
upon his separating the thong frora the stick before he reached
the post-office.
' 1 have made some inquiries touching my neighbours on
the left, for I see thera every day with their legs and arms
hanging through the grating. I find the society is regulated
quite upon revolutionary principles : hyalite, the raotto ;
debtors, deserters from the army, rogues and conjurors, are
all brought to the sarae level, and inhabit the sarae apartment.
This practice is, I believe, general throughout Spain and
Portugal, and shows a lamentable want of taste in the govern
ment ; there should be some preference in the case. The
church on my right is very noisy twice a day, and soraetlraes
oftener. The calls for mass are logger, and with many more
bells than we employ for a like purpose,
' The people here seem ii) better spirits than at Leyria.
Here the whole Portuguese army has been organised and
disciplined, and their confidence is increased with the success
of their operations. At Leyria they have been put out of
huraour by the constant passage of troops through the town.
' I go to see a parade every evening of the Portuguese
regiments. I own that till last Thursday I never took much
interest in this kind of spectacle. The drill-ground is faite a
peindre, an extensive plain, bounded on one side by the river,
and on all others by the lofty hills which surround Thomar,
and on which, to our great delight as a spectacle, but no less
great annoyance as a quarter, stands the convent where our
soldiers are lodged, for It Is a sad fag for the legs. But the
prospect of the monastery, with the Gothic architecture of its
church and the ruins of an extensive Moorish castle all in one
mass, and In so coraraanding a situation, composes a magnificent
coup d'ceil from the plain I am speaking of. This drill-ground
has already become respectable in our eyes ; it will be vener
able by-and-bye If all our plans succeed, and travellers will
corae to look at it, as the cradle of Portuguese independence.

i6o TJte Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
We, notwithstanding, had a donkey race upon it yester
day, and in the course of a few days intend making a grand
match of mules and donkeys, and all the animals, biped and
quadruped, that are disposed to run. I have two mules that
ought to cut a great figure in this rencontre, and I shall make
you acquainted with my success when I write again.
' The evenings are beautiful, and the regiments having both
of thera good rausic, the parades are numerously attended.
There Is a Portuguese general here, named Miranda, who also
helps to make up the show. He does not interfere much, so
little, indeed, that one is tempted to suppose it all a humbug.
' The people appear to look on with much delight, and
among the raost animated with something more than hope,
approaching to exultation painted upon their countenances.
If with them, it had need be so with us ; and, indeed, I have
observed that some of our party are ingenuous enough not to
conceal their sensibility on this point, but rather to make a
display of it. They would do better, perhaps, to dissemble on
such occasions. These people are indebted beyond measure to
us, and they know it ; and it is wonderful to me, that we
should not be more jealous of offending them than we some
tiraes are. Nowhere is our ill-breeding (to use It gently) more
conspicuous than when we intrude upon their religious cere
monies as we sometiraes do. One should think that rauch
training would not be requisite to enable one to behave with
decency In a solemn assembly, even although we did not take
part In its cereraonies, which it is by no means necessary we
should do, and which would be rather insulting than compli
mentary to affect. At the sarae time, if we go as observers —
and wherever I have been both the people and the priesthood
seem rather disposed to encourage than to oppose this — it should
not be as people go to Drury Lane, to cry down or support a
new play, or even as you went to Covent Garden during the
fracas of glorious memory ; and yet I have seen my messmates
make their appearance nearly in the sarae huraour, as if it were
impossible to conform with all that is going forward. I
really believe It is often done through ignorance ; but it Is

.ST. 2.").] Sir William Maynard Gomm. i6i
very disgusting. After all, I should prefer this trial to any
other If I wished to judge of a person's manners, and conse
quently of his good sense. Some polite raan says, " Show rae
a man at table that I may judge of him." I would say, Show
rae a Protestant In a Catholic or even in a Mahomraedan
church, and that is where I think so rauch nicety Is required.
' Monday morning, \%th. — We are just returned frora a
pretty long walk, over wild thyme, lavender, myrtle in
blossora, and marjorara, and a thousand other raelodoriferous
herbs that I am at a loss to name. In this sense, indeed,
these excursions are very sweet, but a great bore upon the
whole, for we kick up dust enough to poison all the perfumes
of Araby the blest.
' I think we have a chance of remaining here longer than vs^e
at first had reason to expect,'
To Major Henry Gomm, 6th Regiment ' Thomar : July 19, 1810.
' To stir out during the heat of the day, unless by special
order, is accounted an act of heroism, and bordering very near
upon Insanity, When you observe, however, to the Portuguese
that it Is hot, they say alguma cousa, so that by the tirae
they will allow it to be piping, it will be Intolerable for us ; it
is certain, however, I never felt it hotter during the whole of
our sumraer carapaign than it Is now. I have been here about
ten days. The brigade forraed of the 9th, 2nd battalion 38th,
and 3rd Royals marched from Lisbon about three weeks ago
to Leyria, where we remained a week, and frora Leyria we
marched to Thomar. We have been joined here by two
Portuguese battalions of the Line, the 3rd and 15th, and shall
certainly remain fixed till the eneray raake sorae iraportant
raoveraent. You will see imraediately upon the raap that this
is an excellent point for a reserve ; we are come-at-able for all
jiartles. You know how the armies are stationed at present :
General Hill (who, by-the-bye, we learn by a letter received
here yesterday from himself, is in hourly expectation of the
M

1 62 The Exrlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
French force opposed to him, under Rignier, crossing the
Tagus, and threatening on the side of Idanha and Castel
Branco), is now at Portalegre, with, I should think, between
8,000 and 10,000 men. The French are, I believe, superior
in numbers. Should they pu.sh for Abrantes, south of the
Tagus, we can at all times reinforce him, and raore readily
still if he crosses the Tagus, in consequence of a similar move
ment on the part of the French ; or we can be in reserve
behind the Zezere, which Is at all seasons of the year a strong
position, and cover any hazardous operation. We are accord
ingly busily reconnoitring, and, I believe, going to strengthen
the different passes of the Zezere. General Leith has lately
arrived here to take the command, and we raay properly be
called the army of the centre, or of the Zezere. The English
Brigade I take to be about 1,800, and the Portuguese about
1,600. There is, besides, the Lusitanian Legion of nearly the
same force within a few leagues of us. Lord Wellington is at
Alverca, a league or two frora Almeida. Ciudad Rodrigo is
said to have fallen ; we have no certain Information, but it is
very probable. You wish me to say to yon what I think of
our prospects here. I declare to you I see everything to en
courage, and nothing to make us despair. A Portuguese
army of nearly 30,000 men has been got together and disci
plined with wonderful activity, and the thing could not have
been done if the spirits of the people were not with us; and, I
have no doubt, they will behave most handsomely If they are
raanaged with address ; but they raust be ha.ndled with deli
cacy, and, above all things, we should avoid exposing them to
a serious failure at the outset.
' The regiments here are perfectly well- behaved, and in the
field go through nearly the sarae movements that we do, and
nearly with the sarae precision ; they are, however, less
advanced than many of the battalions on the frontier. This
is the place where Beresford organised nearly the whole of the
Portuguese army. We like the town excessively ; we are
rather too crowded in it, but there is plenty to eat and drink, and
were It not for an epidemic coraplaint which rages violently

MT. 25.] Sii"- William Maynard Gomm. 163
through the whole brigade, called a scarcity of money, we
should fare as we pleased. As It is, we disclaim all luxuries
on the eve of a campaign. I hardly think you carae near
this place while you were on the raove here ; It Is a very
old town.
' I don't know whether you recollect an old horse I had at
Canterbury ; I gave five-and-twenty pounds for hira a year
ago, and I ara offered now two hundred and twenty dollars for
hira. I ara still doing major's duty, and he Is therefore a great
treasure, so the dollars have no temptation whatever for rae.
' Wednesday , 20th. — General Hill has, I find, raoved to
Alpalhao, and expects the French will cross the Tagus at
Alcantara. He will then do the sarae at Vlllaflor. We are
ordered, of course, to be on the alert here.'
To his Sister. "Thomar: July 20, IfilO.
' I have just been obliged to " abandon dwelling," and
knock under to the high destinies of a much greater raan than
rayself. General Leith arrived here a day or two ago to take
the coraraand of the army of the Zezere, and he has positlvel}'
ousted rae. If I take it all In good part, you must recollect it
was part of the bargain when I 'listed, and I have promised
myself ample revenge upon the rising generation ; the con
noisseurs, however, are only surprised that he did not prefer
the house he has turned me Into. At all events, I shall not
be suspected of occupying bad quarters in either case. I have
already given you sorae account of ray first, and now for ray
j)resent one, Soraebody declares that the furniture of a
Spanish house consists chiefly in cobwebs, raousetraps, slips of
old tapestry lying about the floor, interspersed with fractions
of pier-glass. Mine is a ready-furnished apartment, savlno-
the mousetrap, and I should require a preparation much more
serious if I had what I wished ; for it was not longer ago than
this morning, while at ray toilette, that an undaunted rat
cantered across my room with as much indifference as If the
tapestry and all the rest of it were his own, and this a favourite
M 2

164 Tlie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810,
haunt of his. It Is but fair to acknowledge that I was apprised
by ray friendly host, when I first took possession, that such
things were, and in the neighbourhood too; and I accordingly
piled all ray inviting property, such as cheese, candles, and so
forth, upon three-legged stools and large rugged stones, bigger
at top than at bottom, such as you see used for a like purpose
under our haystacks In England ; so that I am literally In a
tolerable state of defence against comraon eneraies of this
description. But, unless the fellow I surveyed this raorning
is called Giant by the rest of the fraternity, ray defences will
be altogether insufficient, and the works scaled without the
help of ladders. He was like a rabbit, and, I dare say, a much
more ferocious animal. I must say something more about my
house, or you will think the general chose well, in spite of the
authorities I have mentioned as having decided against him.
The fact Is the house is as big as a castle, and in the course of
a very few years would, I have no doubt, make by no means
a bad ruin. When I came into it I had the choice of "antres
waste and desarts idle " (for I can compare the principal apart
ments to nothing half so aptly), but I rather chose three orfour
smaller rooms in a corner, which I can arrive at in less than a
quarter of an hour after I quit the street and begin to ascend
the staircase. We dine, however, two or three of us in the
saloon, and we call the passing from ray part of the world to
the said saloon a walk before dinner, and no trifling one, I
assure you. The master of the house is one of the principal
raen in the town, and one of the raost obliging in the world. He
holds a high public office here, which relates to the provisioning
of the troops. It Is fortunate for him his time is alraost wholly
occupied ; whenever he is disengaged, whether he reflects on
his fallen fortunes, or indulges in that indolent humour which
they all have here, I cannot tell, but he loiters about as if the
house was wholly too large for him, and he seeras as if he
really could be " bounded," like Hamlet, " in a nutshell, and
count himself a king of infinite space." His wife died about
four years ago. Before her death they had lived very extrava
gantly, but everything since has been falling Into ruin — house.

.aEi. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 165
gardens, etc. He has one son and a large adopted family, for
all the poor children In the town seem to have free admission,
and little ragarauffins are scampering about the house from
morning till night. He sleeps in a corner of one of the large
rooms, with bis bed made upon the ground (very much the
fashion here), and looking so unsettled that you would think
he was going to pack up to-morrow and be off as well as
myself. ' Did I not promise you when I wrote last that I should
have a race to record in this letter? I think I did. Unhappy
man that I am ! fated to be my own trumpeter ! for I posi
tively won all that was worth winning In the conflict. To
tell things in the order in which they happened. The punch
began making at eleven o'clock, and the race at twelve, last
Tuesday. There were two races, of three heats each. I was
my own muleteer in each, and between ray raules and rayself
we raised a subscription of twenty dollars ; and as dollars are
dollars now, and raoney the scarcest thing going, I ara a very
considerable man for the next six weeks. I have told you a
great deal about tlie inside of ray house, and how for the out,
I shall not go far for a subject. I have next door to me the
prettiest girl in Thomar, and when she looks out of the
window and I look out of the window there are not above
three long long yards between her nose and mine. I don't
know whether I have told you we are great lookers-out of
window In Portugal. It is a primary occupation araong the
ladies, and so zealous have they been soraetlraes in the pur
suit of it as to sacrifice every other, with very little reserve,
to this favourite occupation. They besides spit a good deal
on these occasions; whether purposely, to give an interest to
the tout ensemble (for they lean out two or three together,
always at the sarae window), or whether this Is a foible, if such
it must be called, proceeding by necessary consequence from
such a situation of things, I shall be better able to determine
by-and-bye, for I am getting into the way of it very fast.
This, however, I ara positive of, that I shall never arrive at
that point of perfection in the art that so raany of thera have

1 66 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
reached. Nothing but the practice of chewing tobacco, one
should think, could have produced such a climax. My fair
neighbour has two sisters, who are only eclipsed when she is
by. They both spit a good deal, and with much address.
She is herself a sad bungler, and does not look out of window
half enough for ray taste. They play and sing almost every
evening, and now and then treat rae with " God save the
King." I always raake a low bow in retaliation for this, and
I have been preparing a Portuguese speech, which I shall
certainly give utterance to the next time I ara attacked in this
manner. Indeed, If I do not succeed in getting acquainted
with them by gentle means, I shall be obliged to have recourse
to violent ones, and begin sighing out loud by moonlight.
You can have no idea of the beauty of our nights here. I have
vis-a-vis an orange grove, and the raoon has found her way
through it to my window every night for the last week. She
is now beginning to grow tired of me, and, unless I make
haste, I shall have to sigh by starlight ; but you will admit, I
think, that circumstances are highly favourable to ray plans.
' Our days have been for some time ])ast the hottest I ever
felt ; and to sally forth In the sun's eye, without necessity, has
long been looked upon as the test of heroism. The grapes are
still sour, but they change colour almost while I am writing ;
and in the course of a very few weeks, I must say so figura
tively, or not at all. We watch their progress with much
interest, for we have scarcely any fruit at present. I have
not yet said all that I ought about Thoraar; It Is one of the
prettiest towns and one of the best situated I have ever seen.
Since I wrote to you last the friar has shown me about the
convent ; for though parted by the Iron hand of power, we are
still great cronies. The church belonging to it is a fine old
piece of architecture, full of paintings, with which the friars
must all be in love to admire as they do, for the greater part
of thera are sad daubs, certainly. There is some very curious
carving in wood in the seats where the choir Is asserabled ; I
have seen nothing of the kind so exquisitely finished. Un
fortunately, the organist Is unwell; I ara waiting with anxiety

MT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. \6y
for his recovery, for they say he Is an able performer, and the
instruraent appears to be of the first order. The size and
loftiness of their churches In this country continue to give a
wonderful effect to their rausic, and I have heard some that I
could have listened to for ever. There is a cotton manufac
tory at Thoraar, which they are very proud of, and I believe
it is the raost considerable in the country.
' General Leith has returned frora reconnoitring the passes
of the Zezere, and everything seems to indicate that we shall
remain In this neighbourhood for the present. We are to com
pose part of a divi.=;ion of 6,000 men, and the remainder of our
force will arrive shortly. Before this reaches you, you will
have heard that Rodrigo has fallen, as everybody knew it
raust, and I dare say we shall soon hear of their advancing
upon Alraeida. The enemy are at present busily employed
in gettins; in the harvest.
' General Hill has been raoving about In the Alentejo, but
merely for the purpose of watching the movements of Regnier,
who seems inclined to cross the Tagus at Alcantara ; and in
that case he will cross it lower down, and have us to support
him. You raust have heard from Cadiz rauch later than any
of us here.
' The days are so insufferably hot that after our morning
business is settled I seldom stir out till the evening. I have
raade interest with ray host to lend rae some Portuguese books,
and I am deep in the history of Don Juan de Castro, a Portu
guese who flourished in the time of Charles the Fifth.
' 23rd. — Rodrigo has fallen, and Junot Is said to have
marched for Galicia with 20,000 men. What this can mean I
do not know ; but If Massena means to move forward upon
Lord Wellington he can hardly spare hira. Regnier. has
crossed the Tagus, and General Hill is at Castel Branco. Our
division of 6,000 raen is collecting here. The Portuguese are
encaraped or hutted in the neighbourhood. The town Is con
sidered quite good enough for us at present; and unless the
whole raake a forward raoveraent we shall probably reraain in
it. We are busy strengthening the passes of the Zezere.'

The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.

CHAPTER IX.
1810.
Sent to PoRTtfOAL *o collect Information —Contrast between
Spanish and Portuguese on the Frontier — Albuquerque —Badajos
— The Marquis op Eomana — Elvas— Alcantara — Forced March-
Battle OP Busaco — Ebtreat through Coimbra pursued by
Massena — The Lines op Torres Vedras — Sobeal— Description op
MBRIDA — CAfEEBS — Tl-JE BRIDGE OP ALCANTARA — MAPRA— CARACOLA,
THB Lady Opficeb — Pursuit op Massena— Death op Princess
Amelia.
Ojj July 24, 1810, Captain Gomm received the following
instructions at Thomar: —
' You will proceed forthwith to Portalegre, by the nearest
road, in order to obtain the raost accurate and speedy informa
tion relating to the force, raoveraents, and situation of the
enemy In front of that place and between the Tagus and Gua-
diana, reporting to me in the safest and most expeditious man
ner all the useful and neeessary information which you may be
able to obtain. For that purpose, you will employ such persons
as you can depend upon the raost, and you will communicate
with the Marquis de la Romana, at Badajos — to whom I have
wrltten^and with the commandant at Elvas, if necessary, as
also with \left blanK], employed in a similar service. You will
use all your vigilance and intelligence to guard against the
vague and unsatisfactory style of Intelligence which is so
coraraon, and take especial care to send rae the raost accurate
information only : a confirmation of circumstances by collateral
intelligence may, perhaps (when practicable), be the best check
upon misinformation.
' You will comraunicate with rae by Abrantes, etc., and take
care, in the event of your advancing or retiring, to apprise me

MT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 169
of your movements, as well as to arrange for the forwardino-'or
stopping on the line of communication, in the event of your
leaving Portalegre, such letters as I may send you.
(Signed) 'J. Leith, ' M.-Generah'
To his Sister. 'Portaligre: August 4, 1810.
' Since General Hill crossed the Tagus with his division
General Leith found it immediately necessary to communicate
with the Marquis de la Romana, now in Badajos ; and ray
raisslon to this place is, to be a sort of conductor between their
Excellencies ; and also to keep a look-out, and report whatever
raoveraents the enemy raay think proper to exhibit for ray
amusement between the TagUs and the Guadiana, on the
frontier of Alentejo. I started, fully supplied with the means
of corrupting all sorts of people, but, to my great mortification,
I fear it will remain a dead weight upon ray hands ; for not a
Frenchraan reraains on this side the Tagus, and unless the
Marquis of Romana thinks proper to raove about a little bit,
by way of change, I shall not even have the gratification of
being raade a conduit-pipe of. I ara, however, very well satis
fied with my mission, as it raight have been one of some conse
quence ; and as It is, I feel very much like a mule out of har
ness. I have lots to tell you, and hardly know which tale to
begin at, or how far to venture into details, for I have seen a
great deal that amused me, but to raake it arause you is
another thing. I know there is a story book extant, all about
Portugal, wherein the traveller detaileth the number of olive-
trees within view to the right and left of the road. In the course
of each day's journey. After some scruples of conscience, I
have, I ara happy to say (and so are you, perhaps, to hear),
that I have come to a resolution not to be quite so faithful, but
I shall invent nothing. To begin, then, I suppose with towns —
Abrantes, Niza, Castel de Vide, etc. — a great deal of It very
interesting, in a military point of view, Abrantes in particular,
and which I had been long anxious to see. In other respects.

a

170 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
iny journey has not even olive-trees to recommend It. At
Abrantes I stumbled upon a commissary who dresses like an
Emperor of Morocco, and fed me rauch better than such a one
could have done. Niza is nothing, and but that I was carried
there out of ray road, to coramunlcate with General Fane, it
would not have had a place In the catalogue. Castel de Vide
looks very big upon the raap, but I do not recommend It to a
weary traveller ; It Is very nearly as old as the hills it stands
upon, or rather between. Upon these hills are ruined Moorish
castles, surrounded with a sort of modern fortification, but it
it is a very antique modernity. These hills are high, and the
view from them very extensive and dreary ; to me it was par
ticularly triste, for close behind me was a chain of mountains,
which we call a sierra, and which it was ray business to pass
over, and was only waiting to let a raeridlan sun pass over
before me. Looking towards the Tagus was the flat, barren
country between me and Castel Branco, and this backed up by
the Sierra de Estrella, the " hills whose heads touch Heaven."
I suppose you know that from the top of these you are within
a stone's-throw of the stars. Shakespeare would call them
" Heaven-kissing hills."
' On the right Is Marvao, rauch higher than Castel de Vide,
and which I must go and see imraediately. There raust be a
very extensive view Into Spain from the top of it. Portalegre
is, after all, the only place worth talking about. Its situation
is beautiful, on the south side of a range of hills, covered with
the finest chestnut-trees ; and all around it the country is
studded with forests of olive, oak, and cork, to a very great
extent. There ought to be much and very excellent fruit
here, but they all say that this year is to be a repetition of the
last, and they are to have none. My landlord says (and he
has good right to recollect far back) that two seasons so unpro-
pitious as these have been he does not remeraber to have had to
do with. I give you warning that I ara now going to set out
with you on a tour to Badajos, to prove to you that a little
liberty has not been given to rae In vain. As I was directed
from the beginning to communicate with the Marquis of

MT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 1 7 1
Romana, and very desirous Into the bargain of seeing him and
his army, and Badajos, I thought I could not open a corre
spondence with finer effect than by riding post haste to Badajos
and presenting myself before him ; and I could not possibly
have a better introduction than my office furnished me with.
I therefore left Tom one raorning in charge of ray establish
ment here, and having enlisted a Spanish captain for the
voyage — a bit of an adventurer, who was beaten with the
armies In the north, and again at Alma de Torraes, with the
great Duke del Parqua, and lived upon faraine for a long tirae
afterwards. In the Sierra de Gata. With this gentleman, and
a post-boy, such as I believe I have already described to you
in one of my letters, I started last Saturday morning for Albu
querque, wishing to see in ray way a division of 6,000 Spaniards
who were quartered there, and likewise to establish some sort of
communication with this place. In my first object, however, I
was disappointed, for they had already marched upon Ca9eres,
but I had sufficient to entertain rae for the remainder of the day
without them ; and if I were not presently going to describe
Badajos to you, I should certainly burst out just here Into a
warm panegyric upon the Spanish ladies. Besides, the journey
itself was not wholly without Interest, although the road was
rude and long ; for whether ray Pallnurus had been a srauggler
in his tirae, and was acquainted with none other than his own
dark and intricate ways, or whether in the heat of debate with
his raortal antagonist, the Spanish captain, he lost his Intended
route, is matter of indifference nOw. But certainly, frora one
or other of these causes he spun out our labours alraost from
the rising to the setting sun, and in place of travelling post, as
we had bargained upon doing, the procession was quite funereal.
Here, however, my travels begin to be most interesting. If
you trace my route upon the map, first to Albuquerque, thence
to Carapo Mayor, Badajos, Elvas, and so by the shortest way
home, through Santa Olaia and Assuraar, you will find that I
have crossed the frontier with very little cereraony, and have
had the finest opportunity In the world of observing the
marked difference there exists between the manners of the two

172 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I810.
people. It is, certainly, a mistaken notion, and one which
supposes anything else to be acted upon but our own nature,
if we Imagine that neighbouring nations lose their distinguishing
characters insensibly as they approach each other. I hardly
know where such a course of things can have place, excepting,
perhaps, where one is wholly dependent upon, and at the
mercy of, the other, and where contention Is looked upon as of
no avail. There, alone, I believe, we shall find unanimity and
harmony In such situations. Or if two neighbouring States
could be so prettily fiolsed as to have nothing to fear, and to
stand nothing In awe the one of the other, here, too, we might
perhaps chance now and then to find an exchange of jackets
and trousers take place on the border, and a confusion of
languages, for some extent, on either side of it. But where
there is a weaker strong enough to assert its independence
against the stronger, there will always be mischief at work in
these situations, and chiefly of all where the Independence of
the weaker has been forcibly wrested from It by its more
powerful neighbour, as is In great measure the case here ; for
where great interests are at variance, the closer the connection
formed by nature or situation, the stronger and raore inveterate
the antipathy.
' So that, far frora finding a compound, wherever I passed
on my journey I observed a most finished contrast, and one
rauch raore striking than If I had searched for subjects in the
Interior of both countries. For passion and esprit de corps are
not only strong enough here to save thera frora degenerating
Into each other's habits, but to attach thera still raore strongly
to their own than custom and education alone are likely to do
elsewhere : it is all the difference between enthusiasm and
method, passion and rule.
' The border towns, such as Alegrete, Code9eIra, Albu
querque, and almost every village, in fact, on the frontier,
have the ruins of an old castle hanging over them, and I dare
say a long story belonging to each, if I could have waited
for it. ' They Intermix Spaniards and Portuguese in sorae of these

AiT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. i'j2,
places, but they do it like oil and vinegar. I have now tried
to explain to you how they affect each other without foreign
interference ; but we have taken too active a share in
their concerns lately not to have been of sorae influence, I
know not whether we are Innocently the cause of It, or
whether it is that their southern affections are raore lively and
keen than those of the north, but they seem to hate one
another here much raore heartily than they appeared to rae to
do a couple of years ago, when I passed between Almeida and
San Felices, The Portuguese reproach the Spaniards still
for Talavera, and the apathy the Spaniards certainly dis
played on that occasion loses none of its aggravating properties
in a Portuguese critique ; they declare it would have been
another Pharsalia, or an Actium, or anything else raore
decisive if the Spaniards would have acted. I am not quite
convinced of this, but I believe with all its consequences and
immediate ill-effects its merits have not yet been fully ap
preciated. If the Portuguese array answers our expectations,
this battle has saved the Peninsula ; for through It Portugal
and the south of Spain have gained time to establish whatever
discipline exists among them. The Spaniards on the other
hand are jealous of the attention wc have for some time past
been paying to the Portuguese in particular, and the latter are
at all pains to convince them that they are slighted and them
selves the favourites of the English. Our not having stirred
an inch to succour Rodrigo has served to confirm them in
this suspicion ; and although they now affect to approve of Lord
Wellington's raeasures in not quitting his position, 1 am certain
they are In Ill-humour. We do not, or rather we will not,
change our sentiment in such matters so indifferently. I am
convinced that they would each of them gladly see the other
in jeopardy, and It Is only upon second thoughts that it
seeras to strike th^ra that the being of each Is linked to the
other, so passionately do they breathe Ill-will. An Englishraan,
however, has a fine holiday of it all this tirae, and parti
cularly in Portugal. Cicero, in one of his letters, mentions
with pleasure the entertainment he received in passing through

174 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
these countries ; but no Roman senator was ever treated with
half the attention that an Englishman of any order meets with
in any corner of Portugal at this moment. I could distinguish
perfectly between the kindness of the Spaniards and of these
people towards rae ; with the former it was courtesy rather
than affection, here it seems to proceed really from gratitude.
The Spaniards are, notwithstanding, much Indebtad to us, but
they would give their ears not to owe us a straw. Certainly
the pretensions of the Spaniards are beyond their merits.
' ... I am still In Albuquerque, and have stayed there so
long that I believe I must hurry you on to the end of my
journey faster than I was enabled to proceed on it myself. Oh !
the corregidor of Albuquerque I ! I I was introduced to him
at sunset ; he was very blind and very deaf, and much too old
to have anything to do with public business in Spain in the
year 1810. He was, raoreover, reading a philosophy book,
and I saw full well mine was but a sorry chance of getting
post-horses ; for here it was gill to go by favour, and his honour's
studies discoursed of anything but philanthropy. He ought,
at least, to have been composing to have made It at all suffer-
able ; and he certainly did not disappoint ray raost desperate
expectations, for the next morning he was good enough to
encumber us with a couple of malicious mules, one of which
contrived to unsaddle the Spanish captain, after he had borne
him about a league out of town, and set off homewards at a
canter, with the captain after him. I was unable to catch
either of thera, and made the best of my way. If so it could
properly be called, while ray mule amused himself with running
rae up against all the trees that could give him a chance of
unhorsing me ; and had I worn flowing locks I hardly know
what would have become of me. I did not reach Carapo Maior
till after six hours of red-hot sunshine had passed over my
head, and did not see my unfortunate captain till the next day,
at Badajos. I think, therefore, I can reasonably answer for
him, and certainly most conscientiously for myself, that had
the worthy corregidor of Albuquerque been within hearing of
both or either of us during the greater part of this day's

i!5r. 25.] Sir William ALaynard Gomm. 1 75
journey he would have had little else to do than to offer up
counter-prayers for all the ejaculations we lavished in his behalf.
Campo Mayor is a fortified town, and, as such, is literally Art
versus Nature ; for it lies in a hollow, and its fortifications are
looked down upon from whichever side you please to approach
it. To be overlooked is at all times embarrassing, and your
ladyship's sanctum sanctorum should scarcely be provided
against such an intrusion with raore nicety than a railltary
position. The town is good, and the Marquis of Santa Cruz,
the Spanish governor, extremely polite ; for when I went to
lay my deplorable case before him he not only gave rae post-
horses, but to eat and drink to boot. Frora this place to Badajos
I galloped over, with the post-boy at my heels, in little raore than
an hour. The whole country, after leaving Albuquerque, to a
great extent Is one perfect flat. Including Badajos, Elvas, and
far beyond, on all sides, and sown principally with corn ; not
a tree to be seen. Badajos has. In a great degree, the sarae
natural defect with Campo Mayor ; but here they have done
all they can to bring Dame Nature into good humour,and have
covered with a strong fort the commanding country ; but in the
other instance the outrage is too barefaced. This is altogether a
very interesting fortress, but nothing compared to Elvas, ot
which I shall speak presently. The town is large and very
handsome, with an excellent stone bridge over the Guadiana.
I was introduced to the Marquis Immediately I arrived. You
mayrfor aught I know, have had a glimpse of him ; he passed
a few days In England on his way back from the north. Give
me leave, however, to describe him to you. He Is not so
" near Heaven, by the altitude of a chopine," as your humble
servant, and looked and dressed more like his barber when I
was first introduced to him than anything else I can compare
him to ; with this exception, however, that had I addressed his
barber instead of hiraself, I should have felt a strong inclina
tion to have whispered him : " Do unto thyself as thou dost unto
others," for he wore a very ragged beard. He was little better
when I dined with him at half past nine p.m. ; but after all
my impertinent criticisms, I shall not forget to add that he

176 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [I810.
pleased rae very rauch, and fully answered ray expectations. I
cannot think he has extraordinary talent of any kind, but I
am certain he has a great deal of character ; and if he Is not
a great man, he at least looks very like one. It was remarked
of Louis XIV. that if he was not a great king, he was, at
least, the best actor of majesty that ever filled a throne. I
cannot say rauch for the majesty of our hero, but he has pecu
liarities which impose ; and often singularity is raistaken for
greatness of character, and inspires alraost equal confidence.
He is, besides, a raost excellent patriot, and we raay almost
apply to him what Milton says of Abdiel, " faithful found
araong the faithless, faithful only he." On these considerations,
I think, he is worth at least thirty thousand raen to Spain, at
this moment ; and if I had the bartering of hira I would not
give hira for thera. He dined very well, I saw several of the
Spanish generals at his table; among the rest, Carrera and
Coupigni, both of whom have distinguished theraselves highly.
It is his custora, and I believe it is general In Spain, to hold
his levee immediately after dinner ; so that before we rose frora
table the room was full of visitors, and all the principal officers
in every department of the division. He talks English, and
is readily understood ; however, I addressed hira in French at
first, but he afterwards chose rather to speak in English. He
was not at all satisfied with what he called the precipitate fall
of Rodrigo, and felt it, I ara sure, as rauch as another would a
heavy doraestic calamity. It was fortunately Sunday, and the
whole of Badajos walked upon the Mall from six o'clock in the
evening till dark. All the women dress In black, and so well !
You must none of you talk of dress till the Spanish women have
held their tongues. Ask Goully whether they do not dress
and walk and talk better than any people in the world.
Badajos piques itself upon not being famous for beauty. This
Is affectation. I saw enough to convince me to the contrary.
I have not heard them sing, but I have heard them talk ; and
I declare there Is more danger in a single cedilla than In all the
B's and G's flat upon the gamut that have ever reached my ear.
Tell Goully I went In the evening to a tertullia (for the benefit

Mr. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 177
of the country ladies, an evening party); It was at the
Marchioness of Mont Salud's. There were generally from ten
to twelve people In the roora, all men, with dusty boots and
otherwise, who walked In and out just as they pleased. The
Marquise is not handsome, but excessively clev6r ; and after
she had entertained the party for some time, and perforraed her
part, in ray opinion, fully as well as your friend Corinna could
have done (saving that It was in prose), she sat down to the
pianoforte, and several of the party accompanied her on the
flute and guitar. I was by this tirae nearly exhausted with
ray day's work, and took ray leave quite in character, in the
raiddle of a piece of rausic. Had I waited till the perforra-
ance was over, ray character was gone Irreparably, for I
should either have fallen asleep or have been set down as
mighty stiff and formal ; and as the music deserved to be heard
by all present, I was prudent enough to withdraw. I have
never passed a day more interesting to myself than this, and
I have not time or roora to tell you the half of what I had an
opportunity of observing militairement ; but this at least may
be dispensed with. The next day I went to Elvas, and com
municated with the Portuguese governor there. I have never yet
met with a Portuguese general that looks to rae anything higher
than a mountebank ; there Is no character among . them, or
shadow of it. Among the Spaniards the case Is very different.
I have already tried to give you some account of their chief;
Carrera looks like Achilles, and they say he is full as Im.-
petuous and implacable. Several others tli:it I saw have a
very gallant bearing. The general, however, received me
very graciously, and the next morning sent me off post ; which
was the greatest service he could do me. He had just been
visiting Fort La Lippe, one of the finest fortifications In the
world ; but It struck rae that it must have been very like the visit
the young lady was so fond of paying to her favourite arbour:
" for there," she said, " I sits and sits, and reads and reads,
and nobody's not nothing the wiser for it." I was billeted in
Elvas upon the house of an old colonel, who had been In the
service eight-and-forty years, and talked to me about the

178 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
campaigns of the Count de Lippe in this country. The fortifi
cation of Elvas, I believe I have already told you, is the most
interesting thing of the kind I have ever seen. There are
three hills : upon the centre one stands Elvas and Its castle ; on
the right, looking towards Badajos, stands a fort, which com
raands great part of the works of Elvas ; and on the other side,
upon much higher ground, and coraraanding everything, stands
the impregnable fort La Lippe, Nothing but starvation ought
to dispossess a garrison of Elvas. It has been taken, I know,
and, I believe, by this very means. The town Is the principal
one of this province ; and with all deference to the Spaniards, I
think it fully as handsome and as large as Badajos. The latter
is only three short leagues of level country from it, and they
look down upon it with a sort of triuraph ; and. Indeed, on
both sides, their clairas to superiority rest upon no better
grounds, in raost instances. It is disgusting to listen to the
little advantages they take to theraselves, and I was heartily
sick of ray Spanish captain long before I had done with him.
It was entertaining enough while the Portuguese guide, or
rather misguide, held him in play on the road to Albuquerque,
but no further. After leaving Elvas, which is like a good
position at chess, in my mind, with all its dependencies, I must
bring you home as fast as I can to Portalegre ; for I am sure
there is nothing that I ought to detain you with on the road.
It is flat ; almost without wood ; without towns, and ill-culti
vated. Here, then, I ara again fixed, and you will not be at
rauch pains to discover that I am heartily pleased with my ex
cursion. You will not be at a loss, either, to guess that my
office does not give me much employment hitherto, or I should
not have been able to scribble as I have done here. I have
certainly not a vast deal to do, and although I ara much pleased
with Portalegre, there Is very little bustle going forward in it,
and till the English came here they have been very little used
to troops. I am the only one now remaining In the town, and
it is therefore fortunate for rae they have left so good a charac
ter behind thera, as they certainly have done, I cannot think
I shall be kept here long, frora the turn things have taken ;

iET. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 179
and I must only be on my guard that the division does not
march for the north, and leave me behind. It is reported
here to-day that the French are l^efore Alnjelda ; but It is bare
report, ' PortaUgre: August 21, 1810.
' , , , The last letter I sent you after I returned from
Badajos. I have since been in the sarae neighlfourhood again,
and, indeed, all round Portalegre, to a consic|erq,ble extent, as
well for purposes of business as for amuseraent. The Marquis
hns left Badajos in chase of a French corps of about six
thousand men, with tbree times their numbers. There is no
faith in man if we are not secure here j in the north we
have offered battle, and Massena says he is not strong
enough yet. General Hill Is In the neighbourhood of Castel
Branco, opposite his old friend Regnier, who has taken for his
raotto lately, " Much ado about nothing." We are still in
reserve, behind General If III and the Zezere, at Thomar ; safe
enough, in all conscience. I hope you are satisfied with our
position. How long I am to be kept here on the look-out is
very uncertain ; either till they drive ray division frora Thoraar
or rayself from hence, I believe. I am very well pleased, how
ever, with ray post, so long as my friends on the other side the
Tagus are kept idle. The Portuguese troops on every occa
sion have been behaving admirably, and they talk of puzzling
the Frenchraen, and are a^ saucy, as you please. Who's afraid ?
This mission of mine lets me into a great many secrets of the
people that I should otbprvirise j-emain for ever a stranger to ;
and for this reason principally it Is that I ara pleased with it.
They are very attentive, and show rae all the civilities they are
capable of. We shall all return home yery s^ucy, as I told
Henry the other day. If they accustom us long to this sort of
treatment, , , , I hope you do the honours for me with the
Douglases and Walkers whenever you see thera ; you know
they are very great favourites of raine ; indeed there must be
very little taste where Lady Douglas and Mrs, Walker are not
favourites, , . ,' ' Badajos : August 31, 1810.
' Since I wrote to you a second time frora Portalegre, I
n2

j8o The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
have been moving up and down this country a great deal, and
ara only just returned from paying another visit to the Mar
quis of Romana at Salvatlerra, which you will find a few
leagues on this side Zafra; although I believe he moves this
day into Zafra. The French occupy Llerena. You will have
heard of an affair that took place in this tame neighbourhood
some few days since, rather to our disadvantage. There was
a bit of a blunder in the business, and we promise to do better
next time. Vallasteros was determined to fight first, when he
should have waited for company, aud got licked. Affairs are,
however, re-established, and, if the F'rench will wait for us,
there is a good chance of their being licked in their turn. They
are scarcely 9,000 raen, and the Marquis has at least 14,000.
Be it as It will, I think nothing but the raislno; of the siesje
-' O OCT
of Cadiz will prevent him from entering Seville shortly ; his
army is really willing, in good spirits, and I will even say In
good order. I am going immediately up the Guadiana towards
Merida, and, striking across the country to Ca9eres and the
Tagus at Gorravilhas, shall feel my way towards the bridge of
Alraaraz, if I find it practicable. But you raay depend upon
it I shall not put rayself upon a par with French dragoons, nor
subrait to run a race with any one of thera.
' By this means I shall obtain a knowledge of a great part of
this country, and learn in good time whether they are preparing
to advance any force between the Tagus and Guadiana. I believe
they are doing no such thing, from all the accounts we receive,
whether intercepted or otherwise. Our stars never burnt so
bright as at this moraent. The Marquis showed rae accounts
that he had received from Lord Wellington, of his having
lately been put In possession of Intercepted letters of such im
portance that a frigate was thought necessary to take them to
England. The French are positively not receiving reinforce
ments, they are losing nurabers daily in all sorts of ways, and,
what is of still greater importance, they are losing authority.
Massena no longer wears a Gorgon-head for the Portuguese,
and his delay has given thera all the confidence that a victory
could have done. If he withdraws from the frontier I should

^3T.,25,] Sir William Maynard Gomm. i8i
be sorry to fix any bounds to our prospects. This wandering
life in a strange country, and at so interesting a period, agrees
with rae exceedingly well ; and as I live, for the most part, like
the owls, and travel only by twilight, the excessive heat of this
season is lost upon rae, I am exercising my Spanish every
hour, and throwing my Portuguese into the background as fast
as I am able,
' I am very curious to see Merida. I understand there Is
a Roman amphitheatre there, in au excellent state of preser
vation. Ca9eres also bears a very good character. On ray
return from this tour, which will employ me perhaps a fort
night, I shall write to you again, and in all probability from
Portalegre ; as I shall have spent all ray raoney, and raust go
there to wait for raore, and to fall in with my letters — if any
there are. I shall then direct my course towards the Marquis
again, if I can obtain leave and ray division Is not translated
across the Zezere. The banks of this river are supplied with
plenty of the loadstone, so that (like the tale of the Castle)
all the soldiers coming into the neighbourhood stick fast till
they are helped away.' 'Alcantara: September 13, 1810.
' In my last letter to you from Badajos I promised to let
you hear from rae again In about a fortnight from Portalegre.
As there is, however, little chance of my being able to com
plete my promise, I shall at least be faithful with regard to
time, leaving place to shift for itself; and I shall have no
doubt remaining that I have discharged the most important
part of my obligation in the choice I make, for I suppose if I
did not write to you within the time appointed you would set
me down as having lost my way,
' I have been here off and on nearly a week. The French
under Regnier abandoned the right bank of the Tagus three
days ago, moving In the direction of Guarda; he is no doubt
going to form a junction with Massena, and the thunder-cloud
will shortly burst. We are prepared with waterproof jackets
and conductors for lightning since the unfortunate fall of
Almeida, The array are all In the highest spirits.

1 82 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [isio.
' I was the day before yesterday in Regnier's house at
Sarza, and listened to scandal till I was tired of it. They are
'& great deal worse In this part of the world than any tea-table
in any county town in England. I hope I shall some day
or other have time to give you an account of my tour through
Ca9eres, Merida (the cart before the horse), etc. ; Roman and
French ruins in strange confusion ; and the folks on the way
\irondered that I should ride so far, and ride so long, to see
such ugly things.
' I am here with Don Carlos d'Hespanha, a general in the
Spanish service, defending the passes of the Tagus. He is of
the old French iiobility, aud equal to what the fondest admirer
of this class of people wishes to see. Need I say more for
him ? He is greatly attached to the English, and has shown
me all sorts of attentions.
' Tteo d'cloik p.m.^ — I have just received notice from
General Leith to join him imraediately at Thomar, having
been appointed a deputy assistant quartermaster-general, and
attached to his division. The raan who was with him has
gOne sick ; and as I have been all this two or three times
before, they are good enough to put me there again. I shall
leave them to settle it at home. I'll be hanged if I asked
them for it ! I hope you think me very thankful, and as
should be. Adieu.'
Here there is a gap frora September 13 until October 9,
1810, and one letter at least has been lost. During this time
Captain Gorara came frora Alcantara to Thoraar, where he
joined General Leith's coluran as Deputy Assistant Quarter
master-General, at the very raoment that it was summoned by
Lord Wellington to proceed by forced marches to join him In
Beira. It had been Lord Wellington's intention to remain on
the defensive, but a battle was rendered necessary in order to
give confidence to his own army, the Portuguese, and the
Ministry at home. He therefore advanced to meet Massena
on the Mondego, and on September 27 the battle of Busaco
was fought. The English had taken up a very strong position,

MT. 25.J Sir Williai7i Maynard Gomm. 183
when the French, under Ney and Regnier, attacked them ;
advancing under a very heavy fire of grape up the hills iinpro-
tected by any cover. The French losses consequently were
very heavy, amounting to nearly 4,500, about three times that
of the allies. After a most obstinate battle, the French had
to desist frora their attempt to force the position of the allies
upon the Busaco range ; but immediately after the battle they
attempted to cut them off", and Wellington accordingly had to
retreat through Coimbra, and over the Mondego, and through
Leyria to the Lines of Torres Vedras, which had been so
cleverly and yet so secretly constructed that Massena had not
even heard a rumour of the existence of these fortifications
until he was actually upon them. He had pursued the re
treating allies from Busaco, and he suddenly found hiraself in
front of unexpected fortifications which he was not powerful
euough to attack, considering the strong forces intrenched
behind them, and at the same tirae his situation was made the
more critical by the cutting off of his rear by the Spanish
troops under Trant.
What was the actual part taken by Captain Goram in
this battle cannot be known. The 5th Division (Leith's), to
which he was attached, crossed the Mondego at Pena Cova
only the day before the battle, and if Ney and Regnier could
have had their way, they would have attacked Wellington at
Busaco before he was joined by Hill and Leith, Fortunately,
however, for the allies, Massena was not ready, and the delay
certainly lost the French the day, for by the 27th the position
of the allies on the ridge was doubly as strong as it had been.
As it was, so vigorous was the French attack, under Regnier,
upon our right, that the result of the battle was for sorae time
doubtful. The part borne by Leith's division, in which was
Gomm's regiment, the 9th, the charge of which gallant corps
raay be said to have changed the day, is thus described by
Napier (vol. iii. p. 330, book 11, chap, vii.) : — ' Meanwhile the
French, who first gained the surarait, had reforraed their ranks,
with the right resting upon a precipice overhanging the reverse
side of the sierra, and thus the position was in fact- gained if

184 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
any reserve had been at hand, for the greater part of the 3rd
Division were fully engaged. General Leith had put his first
brigade in motion to his own left as soon as he perceived the
vigorous irapression raade on the 3rd Division, and he was
now coming on rapidly ; yet he had two miles of rugged
ground to pass in a narrow column before he could mingle
in the fight. Keeping the Royals in reserve, he directed the
38th to turn the right of the French, but the precipice pre
vented this ; and meanwhile Colonel Cameron, informed by
a staff officer of the critical state of affairs, formed the 9th
Regiment In line under a violent fire, and without returning
a single shot ran In upon and drove the grenadiers from the
rocks with irresistible bravery, plying thera with a destructive
rausketry as long as they could be reached, and yet with
excellent discipline refraining from pursuit, lest the crest of
the position should again be lost. The victory was, however,
secure.' Captain Gomm himself was unhurt; but his favourite
horse, which he had jjurchased at Canterbury, and had taken
about with him ever since, was wounded under him.
'Duas Portas, between Sobral and Torres Vedr^is : October 9, 1810.
' The last letter I wrote to you was from the heights of
Busaco, the morning after we had repulsed an attack made by
the French upon our position. We were at that time fully
expecting a repetition of the assault, and I believe I was twice
interrupted in the course of my letter. They were, however,
false alarms, for although they were evidently forming their
colurans, it was for other purposes than those of attack ;
before nightfall they had almost all disappeared from our
front, taking principally a direction to our left. The following
morning the whole of our array fell back upon Coirabra, and
we have been siuce that time constantly on march. We are
now entering upon our lines, and this Is the first day's rest we
have had for an age — if rest it can be called. In such weather
as we have had since twelve o'clock last night ; for it has
rained incessantly, and it appears likely to continue some time

MT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 185
longer. Our poor raen are novv under shelter, soraehow or
other ; but they have unavoidably been exposed to it all till
just now. You know, of course, that since we have been In
possession of the country we have given our attention to
strengthening the passes leading to Lisbon, through the chain
of raountains running across frora Villa Franca to Torres
Vedras and Mafra : this is the position we are now going to
take up. The division I belong to, under General Leith,
which is now called the 5th Division of the Array, will pro
bably occupy that part of the line between Bucellas and
Torres Vedras. At present we are not within the line.
' You will certainly conclude, all of you, frora these our
backward raoveraents that we are running away ; but you
raust not allow yourselves to be run away with by first Im
pressions, and I proraise you we are coraing to a stand imme
diately. I believe, however, that what we have been about
for these few days past has been so unexpected, and our
movements have brought such distressing consequences upon
the people of the country we have retired from, that not all our
declarations will convince the world for some time to come
that our retreat is not a run-away ; and, to confess the truth,
walking hard looks very like running, whichever way we go.
We have swept before us in our march the whole population
of Coimbra and the neighbouring country. Leyria Is de
serted, and, in fact, all the country between Coimbra and the
lines Is at once become a desert ; the people taking with them
whatever their raeans of conveyance allowed thera, and, I can
safely say, all leaving something to regret. In fact, the scenes
that have crossed our way for the last week are such as were
painted a great many years ago by the poets ; and nothing to
my raind but the retreat from Troy in flames can e(iual what
the flight from Coimbra gave rise to. I have not written to
H., nor to any soul but yourself, nor can I. This, as I have
already told you, is our first day — or rather, our first hour —
of rest, and I am expected to be at this moraent going on with
a plan which I have been desired to raake out of the proceed
ings at Busaco. I have really had very hard work lately.

1 86 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
M'hich you will account for without the necessity of my enter
ing into the details, wh en I tell you that I have all the wants
and greater part of the ailings of eight thousand men or more
to provide for ; so that there has been work more than suffi
cient for one captain, and responsibility (Heaven knows !) for
at least one field-marshal. However, I have the best health,
and what is to come will be less harassing. Only tell all my
friends (whom I would give the world to write to if 1 had
time, since I know how anxious they must be to hear one
word from this part of the world at such a moment) — pray
tell thera how I ara disposed, and how disposed of, that they
raay do rae justice notwithstanding my silence.'
'Position on the Heights behind Sobral : October 18, 1810.
' I am stealing half an hour to tell you that everything is
going on well, and promises better than any of you dare hope.
The country we are occupying is another Thermopylas, and
we are In every respect prepared for its defence. The French
have been in our front for some days, in possession of Sobral
and the line of country about it. I am almost inclined to
think they will not venture to attack us. Massena's conduct
throughout has been the raost extraordinary that ever was
heard of. A corps of our army has broken in upon his rear,
possessed Itself of Coimbra, and taken 4,000 prisoners, sick
and wounded ; and will of course take measures to render any
retreat on that side as difficult as possible. His situation
raust shortly be desperate. Lord Wellington and the whole
army are in the highest spirits. I ara very well ; and my
horse, you will be glad to hear, so completely recovered that I
am riding hira constantly. He wears the arms of Busaco,
however, but they do not disfigure him In the least'
' Camp, Heights behind Sobral : November 1, 1810.
' No change of any Importance has taken place among us
or the enemy since I last wrote to you from this quarter.
They are still encamped along our front, but whether, accord
ing to the reports of deserters, they are waiting for reinforce-

MT. 25.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 187
ments or have other objects in view, it is plain they do not
intend to attack us immediately. Whether they expect re
inforcements or not, we shall certainly receive a very powerful
one in the rainy season, which is fast approabhing, and which
will be an equivalent, at least, for any addition of force they
can receive. I do not think, however, that we need be anxious
for this support, for I am satisfied that, posted as we are, and
with the resources we possess, nothing that the French can
bring against us ought to render thera raasters of Lisbon.
We begin now to feel a little settled in oUr quarters. A great
part of the division I belong to is encamped, and watching
over a raost iraportant part Of the position. I ara myself
living in a village close to the rear of this encampment, called
Doba90. You will look for it in vain upon the map, but we
are Indebted to It for shelter from a great deal of cold and
some wet weather lately. Ouf tfoops continue very healthy,
but whenever the ralli sets in for a continuance we must
contrive to get them under shelter less equivocal than that
they are at present enjoying; The Equinox passed over us,
and in one of its roughest moods, just as we were entering
upon our position. It is fortunate that it did not set in a few
days earlier, for during the whole of the retreat from Coirabra
the people found no covering but among the woods, and these
were so continued and the weather so very fine (although
dreadfully hot during the days) that they escaped almost from
the dew. I believe the Government has done a great deal for
these poor people who have been hurried from their homes in
this way ; they can never do enough for them. It Is, there
fore, gratifying to know that we have added considerably to
the difficulties the eneray experience by this raeasure, and
they coraplain heavily of our treatment on this occasion, both
of themselves and the Portuguese. The French have not yet
forgotten to plead in favour of decorum, at least.
' We have received your papers up to the 20th several days
ago by some ships of war that made an astonishing quick
passage from your shores to the Tagus. We are, therefore, in
j)ossession of your comraents upon our late proceedings, and

1 88 TJie Earlier L.^etters and Journals of [1810.
I ara happy to find you take our retreat in such good part, and
are inclined to allow Lord Wellington some merit for the
passage and re-passage of the Mondego, etc. This Is really
very handsome of you, considering that you have a vice in
herent In you of being very difficult to please In this way. If
you have received the letter I wrote to you from Busaco, I
shall run no risk of recrimination frora you touching this foible
I am just charging you with, when I tell you that the 9th
Regiment are out of humour with the despatches. They will
have it that they did not assist in driving the enemy from the
heights, nor had the 38th and Royals an opportunity of doing
as they did ; but according to their own story they found the
French crowning the top of the hill, after having driven what
ever had been opposed to them, waving their caps with exulta
tion, and Increasing in number every instant ; they climbed up
at thera and hurried them down the hill one over the other,
while the alarm was spreading to the right and left that the
French had succeeded in breaking through our line. This
you see was a good moment to arrive, but I can promise you
that, if we had arrived a little later, our praises would have
sounded louder, and what was really the work of ten minutes
might in that case have been the labour of half as many hours,
or It might not have been done at all. This Is the way the
Ninth tell their story, and I promise you it is a true one.
You see how difficult it is to please all the world in a despatch.
This is the second edition of an old story, but I am forced to
load you with it for fear the nonconformity of other accounts
should lead you to suspect that my first was a flourish.
' We hear again that General Brownrigg is certainly going
out to India In the chief command, and that General Hewitt is
on his way horae. Perhaps the next packet will bring us
more certain intelligence if such should be the case. I have
every day something or other requiring ray presence here, so
that I have not yet been into Lisbon since we returned to its
neighbourhood, but I understand from those who have been
there that from being a little flurried in the beginning of our

iET. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 189
retreat they have become quite saucy, with your tall account
from Sicily.
' For myself, as an Individual I am as well as a man can
be wanting a majority, without a chance of getting It, for I ara
living with a most excellent man. General Leith, and a higher
gentleman or a better soldier I believe is not to be found
among us. I am very much indebted to him, and fortunately
I find him every day raore and more worthy of the respect
which I feel Inclined to pay him on this account.
'P.S. November Z, 1810. — The French appear to-day to
be moving off frora our front in several parts. I really think
they raean to retreat immediately.'
The retreat was, however, not beyond Santarem, and here
¦ the armies remained watching one another during the winter
months. Massena made his position so strong that the allies
did not care to attack it, while they themselves held, thanks
to the prescience of the English general, so unassailable a base
of operations in the famous lines of Torres Vedras that they
were in no danger of being disturbed by the eneray. Their
worst enemies during the winter were Inside the lines, and
arose from the disaffection of their allies, the want of supplies
iu Lisbon itself, and the parsimony of the ministry at home,
who failed to appreciate the wisdom of Lord Wellington's
tactics, and the necessity of adequately supporting him from
home.
To Major Henry Gomm.
' Camp, Heights behind Sobral : November 1, 1810.
' I do not recollect ever having been more harassed In ray
life than I was from the moment the division left Thomar till
we arrived within our lines. I dare say Sophia has told you
that while I was employed in Spanish Estremadura, on the
look-out, they very graciously appointed me once more a
deputy assistant quartermaster-general, upon which I was
immediately ordered in and attached to the division under
General Leith ; and I had not been six hours In Thomar

190 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I810.
when the order arrived for the immediate march of the
division towards the Mondego. We marched incessantly,
crossing the river at Peiia Cova, and took up our position in
the line upon the sierra of Busaco, and were not suffered to
reraain idle on the day the French attempted to force us. We
had at this time in our division the Brigade of the 9th, 38th,
and Royals, the Lusitanian Legion, and 8th Portuguese, and
the Brigade of the 3rd, 15th Portuguese, and Thomar Militia.
The British Brigade and 8th were particularly called upon.
The latter have had ample justice done them In the despatches,
and they really deserve all that has been said of them ; but
you will not be able to judge of the merits of the 9th without
a raore detailed account than the despatches give of their feats.
The British Brigade was ordered up to the support of General
PIcton, who sustained the left attack of the French; the
Brigade was raarching left in front, so that tbp 9th led. They
passed in rear of General Picton's right and centre, which
were doing well ; but on his left, where the 9th Portuguese
Regiment of his division, and the 8th of ours, had for some
time withstood the attack of the French with great constancy,
the enemy still continued to push up the hill, and when the
head of our column arrived, marching rapidly behind the
ridge of the hill, the Portuguese regiments were In some dis
order, and the French were crowning the top of the hill to
sorae extent, and increasing in nurabers every Instant. General
Leith was now at the head of tbe column, which was at this
raoment showing its flank to the French ; but it was necessary
to keep marching to the front till we arrived opposite a space
where the ascent was practicable (for the ridge was so rugged
that in many parts it was not to be mounted without climbing),
and wheeling into line we stood opposite to the French, at the
distance of ten yards. Both sides fired, and the 9th, being
directed to charge, pushed over the ridge, and all the French
men who waited for them, and drove the remainder at a canter
down the hilL The 38th got a partial slap at them, but the
Royals were not engaged. I assure you we arrived In good
time to do this, for they were improving their advantage

iET. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 191
rapidly ; and on both sides of the breach they made the alarm
was spreading that they had turned us, so that our good
fortune gave us an opportunity of repairing the state of affairs
in this quarter at least, and It was the work of a few minutes.
' My poor old English horse, who has improved wonder
fully since I brought hini to this country, received a rausket
ball through his flank ; but it fortunately toqched none of the
sinews, and I have for sorae tirae since been riding him, per
fectly recovered. So much for the 9th, and you see I am
deterrained their raerits shall be known to ray friends and
relatives, if not to the public. We made as rapid a raarch
frora Busaco as we did to it, but all has been perfectly well
raanaged, I assure you ; and we reached our lines just in time
to receive the Equinox, which handled us pretty roughly as it
was, ' Massena has been in our front ever since, and what he
means to do is as doubtful as ever. He does not appear at all
inclined to attack us. What with hills and men and redoubts,
I believe we puzzle him, and we shall have the wet season at
our backs very shortly. He raust do soraething very soon,
and I believe we are equally prepared to receive him or to
follow him. I suspect we shall take the latter step, though
with a good deal of caution, They do not begin to starve
yet, although they get very little bread. We begin to get a
little settled now, and people go In and out of Lisbon as if the
French were not two miles off. Part of our division is in
camp at present, close to the great work.
' 2nd. — The French appear this raorning to have moved
off part of their establishment from our front, but perhaps they
are only housing, for the weather is bad. We shall know
raore in a day or two, but I seriously think they intend to
retreat,' To his Sister.
'Camp, Heights of Sobral: November 5, 1810.
* As you tell rae that my protected letters reach you at last,
although you find them sometimes to loiter on the road, and

192 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I810.
as Massena seems Inclined to do the same sort of thing, I shall
set about writing you a tale of other times, and whether it
reaches you a day or two sooner or later by this conveyance
will signify very little. Your last letters have brought to my
recollection the long histories I sent you from Portalegre, and
really I have led such a fugitive life since I once moreset out on
my travels frora that Ill-named port, that I have passed in silence
over a world of country which I traversed before ray return to
Thoraar ; yet few, certainly, have left Merida, or Ca9eres, or
Alcantara without having something to record of each that might
interest others in their favour, and I am one of those who are
haunted with the recollection of them until I discharge this grave
duty, I shall, therefore, sing of the venerable Merida, the
stately Ca9eres, and the ill-fated Alcantara, and unless you are
very idly disposed lay down the paper directly, for I am going
to gossip a good deal. Merida had become doubly interesting
to me at that moraent, for besides Its antiquities, which had been
equally respectable for many years before, it was now the cast-
off quarter of a French army ; and Regnier had established
hiraself for sorae raonths within Its walls. My good-natured
counsellors at Badajos, however, were much surprised that I
should choose to go so far out of my way to have the satisfac
tion of looking upon a set of old, rusty, and lately pillaged
relics. The ruined walls of Merida ; the bridge built by the
Romans over the Guadiana ; the two aqueducts raised by the
same hands, one to supply the town and the other the Aquatic
Theatre ; the Amphitheatre, most perfect in its kind, and next
in size, I believe, to the celebrated one at Nismes ; the chariot-
course, whose boundaries are still respected ; the Corinthian
pillars belonging to a temple of Diana, which now serve for
the front of a dwelling house; and a trlum[)hal arch, are among
the objects that render Merida interesting. The bridge is
entire, and has undergone sorae repair ; the arch is perfect,
and nothing but a convulsion of nature seems capable of
stirring it. The aqueduct and the walls have " ruined " to
gether, and the whole forms a spectacle dignified and venerable
in a high degree. The town is not large, but there are some

JET. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 193
good houses in it. The French had done great violence to
many of them, and the revels of an unwelcome but powerful
guest were of too grave a character that In the short space of
two months no traces should have remained of fifteen thousand
French ; but desolated convents and plundered nunneries were
araong the wrecks of the storra they gave life to, although
they affected great forbearance, and principally in Merida, I
stayed here only one day, and went on to Ca9eres. Of all the
places I have seen in tbjs country, or in Spain, none has raade
a stronger Impression on me than this. It was formerly the
seat of all the nobility of Estremadura ; In fact, the Madrid
of Estremadura, It is a melancholy town. The palaces of
these noblemen are without number ; every street has three or
four of them. They are large, silent, uncomfortable-looking
mansions ; but proud and magnificent. Every one has the
arras and Gothic distinction of the faraily it belongs to engraved
in large characters upon the stone over and about the gate
way, and on different sides of the building. I recollect over
the gate of the Marquis of Santa-Marta Is inscribed upon the
stone, in very large characters, " Esta es la casa de los
Golfines." It struck me very forcibly, and I find the Golfines
are a very famous faraily in Spain. 1'hese houses — all of
them — look as if they were expecting their owners from the
Holy Land ; and in Ca9eres it requires little exertion to faiicy
yourself a sojourner of the twelfth or thirteenth century.
There Is a curious statue of Ceres, which Is still preserved in
a corner of the Square ; It Is very large, and of rude sculpture,
and has evidently belonged to a teraple, of which there are
at present no reraains, in honour of the goddess. The narae
of the place confirras this, for the word Ca9eres signifies in
Spanish, " Here Ceres presides." It Is, accordingly, a fine
corn country, and Ceres was not a favourite without reason.
' Brozas is rauch in the style of Ca9eres, but upon a sraaller
scale. I took this direction upon learning from tolerable good
authority at Ca9eres that the French were occupying the
bridge of Alraaraz; and I preferred going to consult with
Don Carlos d'Hespanha at Alcantara, where I was to the
o

194 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
full as well received as I should have been at the other place,
I have already told you how handsomely he behaved to me.
This letter is certainly doomed to be a Song of Lamentations,
or it would never have led me from Ca9eres to Alcantara.
This place has been twice visited by the French, and with a
heavier hand than most others ; for they have always entered
It, irritated with the gallant resistance the peasantry have
made at the bridge. It was a ruin almost before these misfor
tunes carae upon it ; and now it affords only a miserable shelter
to a few of the ancient inhabitants whose fortunes have become
desperate. The Tagus has lost its beauty long before you
ascend it so high up as this ; and instead of the pays riant
that attends it on either side from a little above Abrantes till
•it falls into the sea, it is here pent up between rude, naked.
Inhospitable rocks, overhanging their base, and backed up by
a mountainous, barren country for a considerable distance.
Over this chasra, and at a vast height above the surface of the
water, is laid the beautiful bridge of Alcantara. Poor bridge !
till very lately it boasted six arches, and is built of large
rectangular stones, piled siraply one over the other, apparently
without any ceraent. The raeiit of this work is that it seems
only the phantom of a bridge, while it Is, in fact, a most solid
and massive structure ; and so light does the whole appear
from above that the long columns of granite that hang down
from the body of the bridge till they fix their foundations in
the bed of the river have really the appearance of something
depending from the upper part, rather than that upon which
the whole depends ; and so well does this dependence seem
placed, that until a piece of violence was lately offered it. It
seemed almost to justify the boast contained In an inscription,
which the architect has deeply engraved on the keystone of a
beautiful arch, thrown over the centre of the bridge, where
he says : " This work shall last through all ages unimpaired ;
a monuraent of the raagnificence of ihe Roraans and the
grandeur of Trajan, Eraj)eror, Father of his Country ; " for
neither Vandal nor black raan, with all their jostllngs, has con
trived anything against it, till a blundering Englishman came

iET. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm, 195
across It the other day, and without any purpose, as all the
world are agreed, that could render such a sacrifice worthy, he
blew up the second arch frora the right bank, and down it
tumbled, to the great inconvenience of all who wish to pass
that way hereafter, and to the utter confusion of the architect,
peace to his manes. I speak feelingly, perhaps, in all this ;
for when I had occasion to cross the river, I was forced, frora
this awkward circurastance, to pass it much higher up In a
bark, and to reach it by a much worse road even than that
which led frora Alcantara to the bridge. I carae home along
the ravines of the Tagus to Abrantes, and promised ray horses
I would never do so again ; and instead of finding a resting-
place in Thoraar, It had already been converted into a starting-
post for me ; aud I soon found that what I had been about
was merely to put rae in breathing for what was to corae. . . .
Of all the places I ara acquainted with, merely in prospect,
I recollect none so captivating, or which promises so fairly,
as Coimbra. It was Irapossible to go into the town, although
the division forded the river about a raile above it. The
valley of the Mondego is celebrated by Caraoens, and really
nothing ever was so beautiful ; and in the lap of this Coimbra
Is seated. The banks of the river are mountainous, but no
where rude ; full of the wildest scenery above, and richly
covered with every kind of wood and shrub ; while the lower
part of the valley is cultivated in the highest degree, and
varied with vineyards and fruits of all descriptions, and the
numerous villas with which the sides of the hills are studded
give a richness to the view that cannot be exceeded by any
thing. It is magnificent. . . .
' The whole array is going this day to Mafra to celebrate the
investraent of Marshal Beresford with the order of the Bath.
Lord Wellington gives a dinner and ball. I am not big
enough for the dinner, but I shall bring you back an account
of the ball to-raorrow.
' Thursday. — The revels at Mafra have ended. Everything
was splendid, and, considering that we were stealing a raarch
upon Massena all this time, conducted in better order than I
o2

196 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isio.
expected. Great part of the beauty of Lisbon travelled five-
and-twenty railes to entertain us ; and, with very few excep
tions, raust have undone, without resting, what they accom
plished in the raorning. Ours was a journey of fifteen
alarraing railes; and as all this riding was to be unridden
directly after the ceremony was over, I declined taklnor much
exercise in the room, but ate and drank whenever I could ; and
as I have slept a little into the bargain, lately, I am nearly
re-established. I have had an opportunity by this means of
seeing more of Mafra than I had ever done before, though not
enough, after all, to satisfy my curiosity. It Is a giant amono-
buildings, and even araong that order of thera styled palaces.
Very noble, certainly, but very, very triste. I wonder they
have never thought of calling It " Mafra the forlorn," or
" Mafra in the desert " ; for excepting the park belonging to
it, which Is richly wooded, and contains a great variety of
grounds and a host of venison, the country about It is naked
and shabby, running into deep glooray ravines, without wood
or cultivation. The village looks as if it was built as a foil to
the convent, wretched and dirty to a degree, and he certainly
" upheaves bis vastness," like a Beheraoth araong the little
ones. This Is really the case. Its character seems rather to
be that of vastness than grandeur ; and I have seen buildings
that I have thought rauch nobler, though half the size of
this. The library, which I could not see, I understand is one
of the finest in Europe.
' I never talk or think of a convent that it does not call
to ray recollection the poor abbess ot St. Clair, whom
I raet with at Montijo, on my way from Badajos to
Merida. She was of au excellent family In the country,
aud frora her eleventh year till the arrival of the French
(a period of sixty-five years) she had never moved out of
her convent. There was now little more than the wreck
of It left. They had plundered every part of it, and the
sisters had all retired to their horaes ; but she was living at the
mercy of some poor people opposite to It, anxiously overlooking
the repairs that were attempting to be made to it, and hoping

KT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 197
one day to reunite her flock and resurae the order of life she
had been accustoraed to so raany years, and to which every
thing else appeared so strange and new ; but she was seventy-
six years old. There was another character of a different
cast, but equally unfashionable, that I raet with at Salvatlerra,
Romana's headquarters at that time. It was the faraous
Caracola, whom you must have read so rauch of in the Englisli
papers. She Is very young, scarcely twenty, and very pretty.
She had lost her nearest relations since the French entered
Spain ; and, deterraining upon active vengeance, she enlisted
under the banners of her uncle (a man of sorae rank, and
then at the head of a band of guerillas), and had fought by
bis side at the bridge of Alraaraz, and on raany other occa
sions. She was once wounded on the shoulder by a sabre,
and was made an officer in the Spanish service in consequence.
In the course of her adventures she had always dressed in
disguise. She was now in deep mourning for the loss of her
uncle, who had been killed a very short time before in an
affair he had with the French ; and she carae to Roraana for
the purpose of obtaining some reward for the distinguished
services she had been rendering her country, intending to
retire from the field since the loss of her uncle. We were
particularly in luck, for she no sooner heard there were
Englishmen in the place than she Instantly came, attended by
her squire (another female), and, introducing herself to us^
gave us the whole history of her misfortunes and adventures,
I thought with Walter Scott, " it was a fearful thing to see
such high resolve and constancy in form so soft and fair ; "
and it was difficult to imagine how anything so gentle should
not have shrunk alraost at telling of what she had willingly
encountered, ' I have nothing new to tell you in our proceedings, ex
cepting that my old acquaintances the Spaniards, with the
Marquis at their head, have all arrived araong us, and occupy
part of the line, Don Carlos d'Hespanha, I understand, is at
Abrantes, ' They say Massena is sick. It is known beyond a doubt,

198 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I0.
frora intercepted letters, that he applied to Bonaparte for
40,000 men Immediately after the battle of Busaco. I assure
you it is not at all improbable that we shall be forced to
wear the winter out in the way we are beginning it ; and I
ara very rauch afraid great part of my division will be obliged
to keep the field the whole time. They are to set about
digging themselves underground iraraediately,'
' Before Saiitarem: November 21, 1810.
' The French left their position in front of our lines, I
think, the day after I wrote ray last letter to you, in full
retreat ujion Santarera, Lord Wellington put the army in
motion imraediately, and the 6th Division arrived at Cartaxo
yesterday, two leagues from Santarem. An attack has been
meditated upon the French position by the light troops, 1st and
6th Divisions of the army. It was intended to have taken
place yesterday, but the heavy rains which began to fall at day
break, and continued almost without interval during the whole
course of it, rendered the rivers necessary to be crossed, ford-
able In general. Impassable for the time ; and the attack has
been, at least, suspended. Added to this, however, there are
other circumstances which render an attack on our part very
doubtful, and I do not think we shall make any. When the
head of our coluran arrived before Santarem, I believe It was
occupied by a very sraall corps, and it is certain that Massena
left it several days ago. But Intelligence has this morning
been received that he has returned with 6,000 men to its
defence ; and the position is such that I cannot think Lord
Wellington would atterapt to force It if he thought It well
occupied. The 2nd Division of our array has crossed the
Tagus, and recrossed it at Abrantes; and will threaten the
French rear, and perhaps dispute their passage up the Zezere,
which the elements are likewise doing most wrathfully. It Is
doubtful whether they have yet been able to re-establish their
bridge over this river. It has been carried away once, and
the force of the torrent is such at this season of the year that
nothing of the kind can rest upon it with security. I take it

MT. 20. J Sir William Maynard Gomm. 199
for granted we are also looking to the right of the French in
the direction of Rio Maior. All this may serve to loosen the
joints of their position, and I really believe they would not
stay at Santarem If we did not threaten a direct attack upon it.
Their grand depot has been at this place, and we followed
them up so rapidly that they would perhaps have been forced
to abandon a great deal had they obeyed our sumraons. We
shall go beyond their hopes whenever we attack thera. I
believe they are, or were, retreating. They must be distressed
for provisions. The 9th Corps is said to have entered Por
tugal, but of this we know nothing certainly Their move
ments have been strange if they really are waiting for rein-
forceraents. We have taken sorae prisoners since we followed
thera. I ara very well, and stand the weather like a ship. I
have been fortunate in falling In with another excellent horse,
which I paid for, however; but this is of little moment,
situated as I ara. I ara, therefore, better mounted than
habited, for my coats are all very shabby ; but I expect a re
inforcement frora you, and shall fight in old clothes till they
come. ' I ara living in Cartaxo.' ' Torres Vedras : December 28, 1810.
' We played bo-peep with the French at Santarem for a
day or two after I wrote to you from Cartaxo, and the 5th
Division were then moved to Alcoentre and the neighbour
hood. Here, I ara sorry to say, we have had leisure to be-
corae very sickly, so ranch so that it has been found necessary
to remove us to this place and to occupy our post In the line
with the 4th Division. We have been here very few days ;
but the change is so much for the better in point of quarters
that I have great hopes we shall soon experience all the good
effects our raove was Intended to produce. All, indeed, we
cannot; for poor General Leith has hiraself been so unwell
for some time past that he was forced to go to Lisbon before
we left Alcoentre, and, not finding the relief he expected
there, is now upon the point of going to England.
' I hardly expect him to return, certainly not for some

200 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1810.
time, and I therefore regret his illness exceedingly. The
army is losing one of its best soldiers, and there Is not one in
it under whom I should serve with so much confidence. In
addition to this I have received the raost friendly treatment
from him since he has been In command of the division; and
he is, independently of his inilitary character, really so able a
man, and so amiable in his family, that those who have been
ill the habit of living with hira will not easily reconcile them
selves to a change, however fortunate. It is undetermined yet
who is to have command of the division.
' I was unwell myself for a day or two before we left
Alcoentre, but it required little conjuration to bring me
dbout, and I am now perfectly well. We have had four or
five weeks of the finest weather possible.
' I have received no less than four of your letters since I
last tvrote froin Cartaxo ; you have all of you had so much to
discompose you of late that It gave ine very great satisfaction
to hear froin you so repeatedly, and alivays to hear such good
accounts of aunt and Goully. • How anxiously we have been
looking out for some time past, and still continue to do so, for
arrivals frora England ! The accounts you have given me of our
excellent king have always hitherto been encouraging. I
assure yon we have all the most sanguine hopes that the severe
shock he lately experienced will gradtially lose Its effects upon
him, and that we shall have an elid of these State wrangllngs,
which aftei* all have been more teinperate than I should have
expected.' '
' The reference here was to the death, on November 2, of the Princess Amelia,
the King's youngest and favourite daughter. This loss was so severely felt by his
Majesty that he could not think or speak of anything else. He was unable even
to sign the commission for the prorogation of Parliainent, and the power of his
understanding ¦^^¦as impaired to such an extent that his mental malady returned.
On December 20, the Prince of Wales was accordingly, under certain restrictions,
appointed Regent of the Kingdom. The wrangling referred to above was in the
debate on the Eegency Sill. Mr. Lainbe and the Opposition had contended that
tbe entire royal power should be placed in the hands of the Eegent without any
restrictions. The Princess Amelia had been the favourite pupil of Miss Goldsworthy and
Miss Jane Gomm, and a tried friend to Sophia Gomm, the sister to whom these

iET. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 201

CHAPTER X.
1811.
TOERES Vedras — Massena Driven Back— Vandalism op French —
Horrors of the Kbteeat — Combats op Pombal, Eedinha, Casal
Nova — Jealousy of Portuguese and Spaniards — Battle op
Fuentes d'Onor — Albubra — Charles Comte d'Espagna — A Beauti
ful Encampment.
'Torres Vedras : January 30, 1811.
' Though I have not heard from you for sorae time, I can easily
believe that there are letters flying about at this moraent in
search of rae, and which will in the end reach me, for we are
here so corapletely out of the World that they do not seera to think
us entitled to the same attention as the rest of the army, so
letters were written ; they wete all present at her funeral in St. George's
Chapel. Some curious discoveries were raade While the vault was being prepared in
which the King intended the remains of his family to be placed. The most inter
esting of all was the discovery of King Charles the First's remains, but tbe cofBn
was not opened until two yeate afterwards, as described in the following extract
from a letter written by the Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester, to Miss
Goldsworthy, April 1813: — 'The Prince went to St. George's Chapel yester
day. They have found the body of Charles the First. It was suspected when
the vaidt was preparing for poor Amelia. It is a small vault near our own
vault, and it was decided whenever our vault was opened again this small
vault was to be examined. The Prince, hearing of this, desired to be present,
and accordingly it was opened yesterday; they found it in a very perfect state,
considering the hurry he must have been buried in ; the face nearly perfect, and
just like all the pictures of Charles I. ; the head of course just laid on the body,
but they lifted it of£, and it is quite now ascertained it is Charles I., as the bones
are all found, and the backbone of the neck which communicates with the head
they brought us to see. It is all blood, and evidently been cut oflf. It turned me
dead cold, but it filled me with respect and veneration, and I feel quite happy so
good a m.an lies so near our vault. Of course you will hear a great deal about it, as
it will make quite an historical event, for until yesterday it never was really known
for certain in what place Charles was buried. The vault contains Lady Jane
Seymour, Henry VIII., and a son of Queen Anne.'

202 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
that letters are sent to us in all sorts of ways, sometimes
by headquarters (Cartaxo), in which case they are a week
sometimes between Lisbon and us. At other times we set
them by the country post, and then they are doubly welcome,
from the risks they have run. Now and then I believe a
special courier is provided, but it is rarely that we are con
sidered worthy of this. If I were not well assured that you
wish to hear from me, however sleepily we may be going on, I
should ground my defence against the charge of idleness upon
the notorious fact that until within these few days really nothing
has taken place among us that could Interest any of you. Before
this reaches you, however, you will have received intelligence of
two events that certainly will. One is the death of Junot, the
Duke of Abrantes ; the other, that of the Marquis of Romana.
Of the first we have as yet no certainty ; but the report has
been very general for many days that he was killed In a late re
connaissance on the other side of Rio Maior.' Of the latter
event I ara sorry to say there reraains no such uncertainty. The
Marquis died of fever, at Cartaxo, some days siuce. Perhaps
there is not a man in Europe that the Spaniards could not better
have spared at this moraent than Romana. Possessed of no ex
traordinary talents, he was, beyond comparison, the most con
siderable man in the country ; and he had given so many and
such strikhig proofs of his integrity and disinterestedness, that
taking him as he was, perhaps without talent either for com
mand or government, he was the most valuable man the nation
had. The justly suspicious Spaniards did place the most un
bounded confidence In hira, and I really believe, from all I
could learn araong thera, in him alone; and I believe Bonaparte
would as soon have thought of bribing the sun to shine out upon
him, and look blank upon us, as of bringing Roraana over to his
purposes. The loss of such a raan to a nation in such a con
dition Is Incalculable. I am happy to find they are making
great preparations at Lisbon for his funeral ; and I therefore
' This was a false report. Junot lived for more than two years after the
wound he received on this occasion.

MT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 203
hope it will be, as I think it ought, splendid, in an extraordi
nary degree. . . ,
' The coats and boots and epaulets have never come near
me, although you say they are in train for being despatched;
pray tell me, when you write again, how they travel, and (if
you can) when they started. It is very possible that I have Ira-
posed upon you a more difficult task than I was aware of at first ;
for although I know that things of this description are con
stantly sent out to this country, they may require some quali
fication that I ara ignorant of before they are despatched ; and
if so, this raay account for their not having reached rae. I
shall raake inquiries upon this subject. I can give you no
news ; the French are expecting reinforceraents, and we are ex
pecting reinforcements, and we are better prepared to receive
both one and the other, every day. Take care how you con
demn this for bravado ; I contend it Is no such thing.
' I wish you could send me the account of our good king's
recovery. We should indeed be very apt to give way to a little
bravado for an hour or two, but I believe it would be an
honest expression of joy.
' We ha%^e constantly reports reaching us that excite our in
terest, and among others we are told that the Duke is again to
be at the head of the army. I am certain the army would rejoice,
and I really do not think it an improbable event. I have not
been idle, I assure you, since I last wrote. I have had to
make rayself acquainted with the country in the neighbourhood,
and as the weather, which is now broken up, has been for the
last three weeks wonderfully fine, I have committed a good
deal of it to paper. It is rather an interesting eraployraent,
under the present circumstances, and (In the manner in which
I take the liberty of doing it, rather fly-away than otherwise)
not very irksome. ' Camp, one league in front of Miranda do Corvo : March 16, 181 1.
' When I last wrote to you, about a week ago, we were upon
the point of marching for Cadaval ; since this, we have con
tinued our march upon Coimbra, following the retreat of the

204 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
French ; and the whole army united In the plains between
Leyria and Pombal.
' The advance has been rajild, and the enemy has been dis
appointed irl his attempt upon Coimbra. Colonel Trant has re
pulsed him at Condeixa. The main body of his army struck
off from the great Coimbra road. In the direction of Miranda
do Corvo. We have driven hira frora his positions on this road,
and he has now the difficult passage of the Alva to attempt, in
our face. His retreat has been precipitate from the beginning,
and within these two last days it is become disorderly. Since
he quitted Condeixa, he has destroyed large quantities of
ammunition and military stores of all descriptions, and spiked a
number of guns that he could not carry off. It is said that
seventy pieces of cannon are discovered to have been thrown
into the Pera river before he began his retreat. It is sup
posed his army does not exceed forty thousand men. We
must have, at this moment, in the field I ara writing in, be
tween fifty and sixty. The bridge of Marcella cannot be two
leagues frora us ; the outposts are vis-a-vis.
' The light division has been actively eraployed ; they en
gaged first between Porabal and Redinha ; and rauch more
seriously on the 14th, between Condeixa and Miranda, Their
loss, I am afraid, has been severe ; they have many officers
Avounded : there Is a fatality attending the Naplers, The
French have been driven In every instance, and both English
and Portuguese are enthusiastic,
' The enormous behaviour of the French, since the com
mencement of their retreat, beggars all description. They
have burnt everything in their road, and as much as they had
time to burn out of It, Leyria Is destroyed, I have seen an
order In writing (I think of Drouet's) to burn the convent of
Alcoba9a. I know not whether it has been done. Pombal,
Condeixa, full of superb buildings, scarcely furnish us with an
hospital. Fortunately we stand In little need of It, the army is
full of health and spirits. We have had the finest weather
possible since we assembled ; to-day It is raining heavily. I
am writing under one of the few tents among us.

MT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 205
' The 6th Division has not been engaged, neither have several
others. Certainly, hitherto the eneray has been overpowered,
more by spirit and management than by numbers. You will
easily guess, from all I have just said, what our expectations
are; a short time will justify or disappoint thera. Never,
surely, had we so great reason to be immoderate in our de
mands as now. . . ,
' Camp Venda do Valle, one league beyond the Alva: March 24, 1811.
' Nothing very important has happened since I wrote from
Miranda do Corvo ; the French have continued their re
treat, and their rearguard has passed through Celorlco.
Our light troops and the cavalry have harassed them a good
deal, and taken many prisoners, but we have outrun our sup
plies, and the main body of the army is halted, and I dare say
will continue so several days, to allow them time to come up.
Deserters and prisoners estimate the loss of their array at four
thousand men since they broke up from Santarem ; it raay be
so, but I hardly think so many. The retreat appears to have
been ably conducted, and, upon the whole, I do not think
Massena deserves to suffer anything in his reputation since he
entered the country. He seems to have been hurried on by
the arrogance of his master Into a world of difficulties, and to
have made the best of his way out of them. It has been the
work of a master. In some sense, he has gone beyond what
the most credulous araong the Portuguese expected from
him, when he stood lowering over the frontier. I believe hira
to be the greatest villain that disgraces the age; hard, un
principled, faithless ; hateful to those in his confidence, dreadful
to those in his power ; an able, wily, profligate soldier. He
seeras to have settled upon Santarem, in the early part of
winter, like a powerful demon, shrouding himself In vapour
while he was meditating mischief to mankind ; but as soon as
the sun rose upon his aerie too glorious to be outfaced,
he descended upon the land like a fiend, commanding the
destruction of towns, countenancing the massacre of the
peasantry.

2o6 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isil.
'What intemperance is there that he has not countenanced !
It is not among the least of his enormities that he broke faith
with Lord Wellington, a short time before he left Santarem,
on the subject of an exchange of prisoners, I need not tell
you the story, but his behaviour was base, to a proverb. . . .
The age of chivalry is indeed gone. I do not understand
it. Within a very few years, almost within our recollection,
the French people seera to have traced back every step that
nations raake towards civilisation ; and they, who a short time
back were the fine spirits and cavaliers of the age, will have
degenerated by the close of this campaign in Portugal into
something worse than Huns.
' The French generals give orders for the burning of towns,
and the French soldiers talk of the massacre of peasantry and
women and children with as little concern as if they had been
ridding the world of monsters, and had magnanimity enough
to be careless about its applause In consequence. Since I began
writing, accounts have reached us that Guarda burnt for three
days, and is utterly destroyed. It was one of the oldest cities
in Portugal, but perhaps this was its capital offence. We
must have nothing venerable in these days. I know I gave
you some tirae ago a long account of Leyria and its old ruined
castle ; upon my word, the castle is less a ruin than any part of
Leyria at this moment. Miserable country I Happy England !
whether she knows it or- not. . , , I assure you I have alraost
lost the recollection that I have ever been unwell ; and only
that, like my neighbours, I am In dudgeon at all that is going
on in this part of the world, I should not be half so grave as
I am afraid you will have found rae through the greater part
of this letter.
' Do not be uneasy about ray coats, etc., because it Is next
to Impossible that they should reach me where I am, even
though they should have arrived in Lisbon. I may add
with great sincerity that Tom is much more in want of
the brushes than I am of the coats ; for no longer ago than
yesterday he had his whole brush estabbshment stolen from
him, and unless he steals in his turn (which I have strongly

iET. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 207
recommended his doing, without loss of time) I shall be a
pensioner upon the world till your present arrives.'
That Captain Gomm's estimate of the French behaviour
was not rated too low, the pages of the historian of the war
abundantly testify. No places or things were too sacred for
the {lurposes of pillage. Southey says : ' Wherever the French
bivouacked the scene was such as raight rather have been
looked for in a carap of predatory Tartars than in that of a
civilised people. Food and forage, and skins of wine, clothes
and church vestraents, books and guitars, and all the bulkier
articles of wasteful spoil were heaped together In their huts
with the planks and doors of the habitations which they had
utterly deraollshed.'
When, indeed. It is remembered through what scenes the
writer had been passing during the last few weeks, one is filled
with admiration of the modest courteousness of bis mind to
wards bis sister-correspondent. What a marvellous contrast In
his telling simple brevity to the verbose effusions which are
nowadays poured forth columnsful over a petty raid with
an Indian hill-tribe, or an indecisive encounter with some
naked savages ! During that faraous retreat of the French
frora Santarem, thus lightly sketched in Captain Gomm's
letters, there had been fought no fewer than four combats with
one of the ablest of Napoleon's marshals. In so masterly
a way. Indeed, did Massena effect the raost difficult of all
raanoeuvres in the face of a powerful enemy, that his tactics
called forth the praise of Wellington and the admiration of
Napier. At Pombal, on March 10, the total loss of the allies was
forty. At Redinha, on the 12th, the British loss was twelve
officers and two hundred raen.
During this combat, according to Napier, the tactics and
raanoeuvres were a thing of beauty In the art of war.
At the corabat of Casal Nova the light division lost eleven
officers and one hundred and fifty raen. This was the action
which proved so fatal to the Naplers, and where the historian

2o8 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of {my.
received that terrible gunshot wound which paralysed him at the
time, incapacitated him from further active service, and caused
him lifelong agony.
At Fons d'Arance on the 15th the British loss was only
four officers and sixty men, but that of the French was five
hundred. Sir William Napier says : ' Every horror that could make
war hideous attended this dreadful march. Distress, conflao-ra-
tions, death in all modes ! frora wounds, from fatigue, from
water, from the flames, from starvation ! On every side un
limited violence, unlimited vengeance !' Our own troops, when
they reached the banks of the Ceira, were extremely exhausted,
having suffered even greater privations than the enemy. Yet
it was from such scenes as these that William Gomm could
write these letters to his sister so full of gentle courtesy and
so absolutely free frora all egotlsra or bragging of the danoers
and the horrors with which he was surrounded.
' Misarelha, Valley of the Mondego, one league from Guarda:
March 31, 1811.
' Since I wrote to you frora Venda do Valle, the army has
continued advancing, and the day before yesterday the enemy
was forced to abandon the strong post of Guarda, with some
loss in stores, etc., retiring, I believe, in the direction of
Sabugal and Penamacor.
' The army has halted yesterday and to-day. To-morrow
the 5th Division marches through Guarda: we are un
certain in what direction, or whether it is connected with a
movement of the whole array, I Imagine we shall see no
thing more of the French on this side. The premature
surrender of Badajos has annoyed us a good deal, and may
embarrass us a little. There has been treachery or shameful
mistrust In the business. We have 20,000 men now in the
neighbourhood of this place, Campo Mayor, we have no
doubt, has been saved by them. We have received some
official accounts of General Graham's business at Chlclana.
The Spaniards are not behaving well in any one point, I have

MT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 209
already told you that the enemy estimate their own loss very
highly during this retreat; sorae go so far as 7,000 or 8,000.
We were falsely inforraed about Guarda ; it is not true they
have burnt it. The church alone was atterapted tp be burnt.
It is not necessary to bring in calumny to our assistance to
make their infamy immortal. It is true that the convent of
Alcoba9a, the pride of the whole country, was burnt by autho
rity of a general order.
' We are all exceedingly healthy, and ready at this moraent
for any enterprise. We may now expect a continuance of fine
weather. The equinox has just passed over us. We crossed
the Estrella mountain the day before yesterday in the middle
of it. You will, therefore, not be surprised when I tell you
I rode in a whirlwind the whole day. We climbed like so
many Titans, I shall write again as soon as we ascertain the
direction we are moving in. We are living now in a crazy
house, which the French did not think worth burning. But
the valley of the Mondego is as delightful as ever.'
'Nave d'Aver, upon the Frontier: April 8, 1811.
' When I wrote to you the other day from the valley of
the Mondego I believe I gave you assurances that we should
see nothing more of the myrraidons on this side. They left
Guarda and the raountains so taraely that we hardly expected
they would raake a stand elsewhere. Who could have foreseen
that they would condescend to meet us In the valleys after
having declined it in the clouds ? But you will have already
perceived that they can condescend to anything. They have,
however, disappointed us, for on the 2nd we found Regnier's
corps strongly posted behind the Coa, in the neighbourhood of
Sabugal. On the 3rd we attacked him, and forced him to
retire precipitately, and (according to the best accounts) with
considerable loss. He is thought to have lost nearly 1,200 raen
on this day. Our loss does not exceed 200, I believe. The
Light Division have again borne the brunt in this affair. The
3rd Division were very slightly engaged, and ours only
showed what it was ready to do if they chose to wait for

2IO TJie, Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
it. It was not their . interest to fight hard, but I do not
immediately see why they chose to fight at all on this occasion.
The cavalry have made a rich prize In Soult's baggage. We
learnt yesterday that this corps had taken post between Al
meida and Rodrigo, We have since heard that they were
withdrawing altogether behind the Agueda, leaving a small
garrison in Almeida with desperate intentions. Every story,
you know, contains a fable in some part of it, and I hope you
will take this for the fabulous part of mine, I believe it is
true that Ney has been sent to Salaraanca some days since,
shorn of his beams. The conduct of the retreat was his, and
It is very much adraired by the cognoscenti.
' The behaviour of the French will be worthy of remark
presently. They stormed like a hurricane through Portugal,
but they are observing a different policy already with Spain.
A proclamation was issued the moraent they passed the fron
tier that no further outrages should be permitted. It was,
however, attempted ; and the first, and I dare say the only,
offender was instantly punished with death, and left hanging
upon the high road pour encourager les autres. If we enter
Spain something of the same kind will be necessary among us ;
for although I really believe we are a very well-behaved army,
we are, notwithstanding, accused of making free with what
ever the French leave. The Inhabitants of these villages on
the frontier saved their lives and part of their property by
taking refuge araong their less persecuted brethren in mis
fortune in Spain ; they are, therefore, more at their ease and
give themselves greater airs in counting over their grievances
than the unhappy wretches we have passed on the road, whose
only complaint was the loss of everything short of life, and
whose only object of execration was the atrocious Frenchman
who did thera the Injury, Here they are more nice. It is
true the French have their ill-will for all they have done
them ; but it is alraost a doubt with me whether they regret
the loss of property more than the circumstance of its all
flowing through the channel of Spain, Certain I am that
there is not one of them that does not forget for a moment his

^t. 2G.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 211
private misfortune whenever he talks upon the subject, and
with a burst of national pride he tells you exultingly — " The
Spaniards were astonished at the spoils the French were carry
ing out of Portugal, The Spaniards declare they never would
have believed that Portugal contained the riches they saw
flowing into Ciudad Rodrigo," So that you would think. If
you heard thera, they consider their own loss as overpaid by
the credit It had gained for their country araong the Spaniards,
Such is the national rivalship and such the antipathy these
brothers in ralsfortune bear each other, that nothing but the
last distress can make it a second consideration In their
minds, ' There is something beautiful in all this. But if the cur
tain ever rises in England upon the scenes we have witnessed
heretofore, I am sure you will all declare there is the best
reason in the world for excluding all those who have served In
the late campaign in Portugal from the privilege of sitting
upon juries, as well as the butcher and the skilled in surgery.
I dare say you do not know that by the laws of our country
we professors of the knife are declared much too hard-hearted
to assist in such a ceremony, upon the principle, I suppose,
that " the hand of little employraent has the daintier sense,"
' We are halting to-day, I believe principally for want of
forage, ' You regret in one of your letters, for ray sake, that
General Leith's health did not permit him to remain here. You
cannot regret it more than I do, particularly as I dislike the
person I am with exceedingly. However, this is not so great
an Inconvenience to rae as you may suppose,
' Our cavalry, you will have learnt already, have been
playing the fool at Badajos, but their loss is not so serious as
they at first gave us reason to expect. We are doing very
well, I believe, in all quarters ; and General Graham's, if not
a very profitable, seems at least to have been a very brilliant
achievement,' '
• This refers to the battle of Baross*, fought on March 5, against the Preach
under Victor.
p2

212 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8II.
' Aldea do Bispo : April 11, 1811.
' We have invested Almeida with a garrison of a few hun
dred men, and the whole of the French army are gone off to
Salamanca. Almeida must fall immediately. This is the
whole of my news. We are in a delightful Spanish village,
and I am quarrelling with ray best friends every day In their
defence. I will tell you why another tirae. We rejoice that
the King is well.' ' AlJea do Bispo : April 19, 1811.
' No change has taken place since I wrote to you four days
ago. I find you have guns firing nowadays In London for
other people as well as us. I assure you we are jealous of
these gentlemen in the south that have succeeded so brilliantly
in despite of so many friends and foes. I very much fear
Massena the Great will steal off without further notice, and
you will be hunting for him — nobody knows where — by the
tirae you have recovered from the delirium of this last achieve
ment. Until we received the English papers yesterday we
had no idea of its having been anything near so splendid.
General Graham has Indeed answered all our expectations, and
I am sure he only wants opportunity to do much more. He is
a very superior man. I shall be very uneasy till I hear from
this quarter. There is a very dear friend of mine — one whom
I have for years loved with the intimacy of a brother — that I
see mentioned In the Gazette as severely wounded : his name
is Godwin. The flank companies of the 9th and 2nd Batta
lions were employed.
' Lord Wellington is gone to the Alentejo. There have
been some Ill-managed affairs In that quarter lately. In the
raeantime we have been employed in looking out for convoys,
four-and-twenty hours after they entered Ciudad Rodrigo. It
is a proof we ourselves are not upon short commons, or we
should look sharper. Almeida is as It was. Nothing is done,
nor seeras intended to be done, beyond the Investing It. We
hear nothing further of the Intention to retire beyond Sala
raanca and through Spain. It is, however, not contradicted
either by word or deed since I last raentioned it to you.

^T. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 213
' I am expecting my goods from Lisbon every day. After
all the inquiry that has been made about them, nothing, I am
convinced, but utter annihilation will prevent my discovering
sorae traces of them. The letter you enclosed for me mentions
that they were despatched from Plymouth to Falmouth, and I
am just employing the only means I have had since we com
raenced our raarch of learning anything about them ; so that
I am very confident in my expectations.'
'Camp on the Heights before Alameda: May 8, 1811.
' We shall surprise you this time with a piece of news as
grateful, I hope, as it will be unexpected. Massena advanced
upon us, with his whole force, on the 2nd, frora Ciudad Rod
rigo, crossed the Azava on the 3rd, and carae before our array
the same day, drawn out to receive him upon the ridge of land
lying between the Turon and the Dos Casas rivers ; the left
resting upon the ruins of Fort Conception and Aldea do Bispo,
and the right stretching in the direction of Nave d'Aver, bavins:
In front the village of Alameda, and behind us Villa Formosa,
Fuentes d'Onoro intersecting our line. Massena's force con
sists of the corps of the array with which he retired frora Por
tugal, with the addition of some of the Imperial guards
(Infantry), and five regiments of cavalry, drawn frora Valla
dolid. Bessieres, the Duke of Istria, carae with them ; he Is
supposed, therefore, to bring 50,000 infantry and 5,000
cavalry. We can have little raore than thirty of Infantry and
one of cavalry ; we have between thirty and forty pieces of
cannon, and theirs is raore nuraerous, and, I believe, heavier.
They attacked Fuentes on tbe afternoon of the 3rd, vigorously,
and were repulsed. The 4 th was principally spent In closely
reconnoitring the whole of our front; and it was soon dis
covered, from the raoveraents of the enemy and the nature of
our position, that he meditated his principal attack upon our
right. His failure on this side could be attended with no very
serious consequences; ours raust be disastrous. The Turoii
and Dos Casas rivers take their rise near this situation, and
the country Is the best adapted in the world for the raoveraent

214 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
of cavalry. He availed hiraself of his superiority In this arm,
and on the morning of the 5th he made the attack we were pre
pared for. His cavalry acted with an audacity that had not
hitherto characterised thera in this country, and the right of
our line of infantry was forced to fall back upon a position
where they would be less in danger of an assault frora so formid
able a body of assailants. They performed this difficult opera
tion in admirable order. British, Portuguese, and Germans,
all behaved equally well, and the right at length rested upon
Freineda and the difficult ravines running down to the Coa.
During this formidable attack of cavalry and light troops upon
our right, Fuentes, which was now become the keystone of our
arch, was assailed with all the vivacity that French troops are
used to display on iraportant occasions, and never was the
constancy of British troops put to a severer trial. They at
tacked it again and again, and continually poured in fresh
forces to support their broken attacks; but they failed de
cidedly, and the town remained our own, heaped as it was with
the dead and wounded of both parties.
' More to the left they cannonaded us for a short time
where the 5th Division was posted. We occupied the left of
the line, from Fort Conception to the point where the great
road from Rodrigo to Alraeida crosses the ridge. This was
done raerely to engage our attention In this quarter, while the
main attack was carrying on against our right,
' Our light troops in this quarter were engaged during the
greater part of the day, with trifling loss on both sides,
' So the repulse of the French was complete, and the action
over, by about three o'clock in the afternoon. It began about
six, and was warmly contested the whole time. Our loss is
estimated at twelve hundred, that of the French Is supposed
to be much raore considerable. We shall know raore about it
by-and-bye, I should not be surprised to find it amount to
between three and four thousand. The following day we ex
pected the eneray would attack us at the same point with all
his means, but he has disappointed us. We have continued
within sight of each other since, and we have continued to
strengthen our position without molestation.

jet. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 2 1 5
' Yesterday it was reported, and to-day we confidently be
lieve, the whole French army is retiring upon Rodrigo. They
have withdrawn the greater part of their force from our front,
and everything leads us to think they have given us up. Al
meida may be expected to fall Immediately, and we may then
bid defiance to a much greater force than he brings, posted as
we are. I hope we shall content you all in England ; I pro
mise you we are very well pleased with ourselves. The Por
tuguese and foreign troops behaved admirably. Happily, Lord
Wellington returned from Alentejo two days before the advance
of the French. Sir William Erskine, too, took the coraraand
of the 4th Division a very few days ago. I am delighted to
hear General Leith is just come out again.
' We have had delightful weather, frora the raoraent we
took the field, and are all in the best health. If the French
are raoving off, we shall, in all probability, again resume our
quarters.' Never apparently was any battle in the Peninsular war
more nearly lost than this one of Fuentes d'Onoro, of May 5 ;
for our position was faulty, our army was exhausted, and the
number of the enemy exceeded ours in the proportion of three
to one. Both parties claimed the victory, says Napier: the
French because they won the passage of' Poro Velha, cleared
the wood, turned our right flank, obliged the cavalry to retire,
and forced Lord Wellington to relinquish three railes of ground,
and fo change his front; the English because the village of
Fuentes, so often attacked, was successfully defended, and
because the principal object (the covering of the blockade of
Almeida) was attained. As Lord Wellington himself admitted,
had Buonaparte hiraself been there the allies would certainly
have suffered a signal defeat. ' Nave d'Aver : May 14, 1811.
' . . , Two divisions of the army have already raarched for
the Alentejo, the 3rd and 7th. Mine, I ara sorry to say, ap
pears to be one of those Ill-fated ones destined to be left for
the protection of the north; and as there is little prospect of

2 1 6 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [isil.
our having anything to oppose, and we have, unhappily, little
left us to protect, the look-out is rather triste. There Is an old
story told us in Greek, that nature abhors a vacuura, and after
leading so active a life for sorae tirae past as we have been used
to, it is hardly to be wondered at that we should return to
nature, even In these dissolute times, while we have shadows to
contend with and emptiness to protect. . . .'
To Major Henry Gomm, High Wycombe, Bucks.
'Nave d'Aver: May 16, 1811.
' We flatter ourselves that our performances at Fuentes will
have engaged so rauch of your attention already that a long
story coming from me at this hour of the day would probably
arrive only In time to be criticised upon the authority of fifty
others dispatched more a propos. I shall, therefore, spare per
haps both myself and you by withholding a very circumstan
tial tale that I was meditating for you several days ago, and
which would have been coeval with most others, if the Fates
had been propitious ; but a sudden move of the division at the
period of iriall-raaking perplexed rae beyond redemption, and
has thrown my production a century behindhand, so that I
shall take it for granted that you are as well acquainted as
myself with the leading details of this business, and shall take
my chance of entering upon a less beaten track by talking to
you of "hairbreadth 'scapes," of French garrisons, etc., etc.
' On the 10th, you know, the French army retired behind
the Agueda, and we took up once more the cantonments they
had just dI-.-puted with us. The 6th Division resumed the
blockade of Alraeida, and at raidnight (the hour when all ill
spirits walk abroad) the garrison issued from the walls. The
walls presently exploded. Those who slept most like the dead
were startled, and indeed everything, animate and Inanimate,
seems to have been in motion — but the pickets. They seem to
have made It a point of honour to take care of the town, as no
body else would, and the French had greatly the start, before it
seems to have been clearly understood that the town could not

MT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 2 1 7
run away, but the tenantry could. Part of the blockading
division was, therefore, dispatched after the fugitives, and
although it was near break of day before things were seen in
their true light, the pursuers appear to have determined upon
raaking up for slowness of apprehension by quickness of pace,
and reached their prey before they passed the bridge over the
Agueda, at Barba de Puerco. Several hundreds were killed,
and nearly three hundred taken, and I believe they lost at
least one-third of their nurabers. The story, however. Is one
that we shall not tell so well as the French, and I am sure
there will be more said about it than it deserves. As for Al
raeida, they have handled it very roughly ; still. It does not
appear to rae to be so rauch injured as it raight have been.
They have run the mine completely round four sides of the
hexagon, between the revetement and body of the rampart, so
that the whole of the masonry on these sides is thrown down ;
but the rampart is, with little exception, not rauch shaken.
The remaining sides- are perfect. Still, I hardly think it will
ever be thought worth re-establishing.
' Lord Wellington left us yesterday for the Alentejo. The
3rd and 7th Divisions, which began their march three days ago
in the sarae direction, are, we understand, halted in conse
quence of inforraation received that Soult is In raotlon with
twenty thousand raen. We expect he Is going to measure swords
with Marshal Beresford, who Is backed up with a host I believe
quite as numerous. The whole French army have certainly
withdrawn from this frontier, and, we even hear, from Sala
raanca. Rodrigo, they say, is to be served the sarae trick as
Alraeida, whenever it is ready. Massena summoned to Paris,
without bringing anyone to help him out in his story. These
are the tales with which they amuse us, who, I fear, are likely
to be left at present for the protection of the north. We con
sist of the 1st, 5th, 6th, and Light Divisions. We, therefore,
who have leisure to think, and little else to think upon, are
curious to learn what impression the events of these latter days
will have produced upon the worthy people of England, by the
tirae Cobbett, Cnnrier, good Morning Post, and Chronicle have

2 1 8 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
played their several parts. These adroit Frenchmen, too, can
often make the worse appear the better reason ; but I think it
will require eloquence bordering upon sorcery to make their
proceedings even intelligible lately. A galimatias appears to
be their only resource. They will fall off in plain English.
Suppose for an instant this to be the case. Massena scrapes
together all the forces he is master of; invites Imperial guards,
cavalry, and infantry from Valladolid ; squeezes Rodrigo, and
comes forward with all the parade that he thought sufficient to
bully us Into a retreat behind the Coa, and raising the block
ade of Almeida In consequence ; which place, by-the-bye, we are
told was provisioned for several weeks when they left It. One
would think that we had gone beyond his expectations in taking
up the line of the Dos Casas river, with thirty thousand infantry
and a thousand cavalry, while he threatened us with at least
five-and-thirty of the former and between three and four of the
latter. This was no raountain position either. Above Fuentes
the ravines of the Dos Casas and Turon rivers, which included
the ridge upon which we lay, soften off gradually into a plain,
open, extensive, the most favourable that can be imagined for
the movements of cavalry. He attacked us, therefore, on this
side, and placed us after the affair of the 5th in the following
situation. We had our back to the Coa, which was hardly ford-
able at this time,and the only bridge open to uswas that of Castel-
Bom, raost difficult of access at all tiraes, and impracticable for
artillery. Our right was posted upon the open ground I have
just described, prepared to resist all attempts that he might
make between Fuentes and the Coa; and the whole force of
his cavalry was drawn to this point, as well as the principal
part of his infantry. He retires, after the two armies had re
mained four days In this situation, In sight of each other ; we
strengthening our right every hour by trenches, trous de hup,
etc. The garrison of Almeida effects the purpose it seems to
have had in view from the beginning, and escapes as well as it
raay. The whole array withdraws from the Agueda, and per
haps from Salamanca, leaving In Rodrigo a garrison sufficient
to blow it up. Surely Almeida and the line of the Coa could

XT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 2 1 9
not have been considered as the alternative of all this. B ut I
believe, after all, that he had no such object in view, and that
the release of the garrison, after destroying the place, was all he
aimed at. He had been driven frora the Coa before the ralues
were ready ; he seems to have expected that we had already
detached to the Alentejo, and that his advance, with added
forces, would always be the signal to us for placing ourselves
behind the Coa. He was disappointed ; but he still thought a
blustering, rather than a serious attack, might induce us to
some raeasure that would favour his garrison. He lost five thou
sand men perhaps, and found that still greater exertions were
necessary to shake us. He said. In French, I suppose, " Mate-
riera superaret opus," A victory that would go near to ruin
us would hardly give hira Portugal at this tirae of day. Our
situation was a critical one had he been preparing to re-enter
the country. We did not risk near so much as we appeared to
do. Lord Wellington has kept up the dignity of the army and
his own by not going behind the Coa. I think it is the finest
trait in his military character ; but, depend upon it, Massena
would only have withdrawn his garrison by day, instead of
night, had we met his views ; he would have saved the smaller
half that have reraained behind, captured or slain, and we
should have had French songs and fanfaronade made in honour
of Lord Wellington and the army, whereas It is hoped they
will now be confined to the blockading squadron. Who shall
say, therefore, that we have not gained by the alternative, ex
clusive of the exploit at Fuentes, even If Massena meant no
more than I have supposed ; and if he did, I do not understand
him. In that case, the sooner I bring ray disquisition to a
close tiie better for you and me.
' Nothing yet has been done about my majority, nor do I
expect that anything will be done. This Is rather a tender sub
ject with me, and I soon becorae Interaperate in spite of rayself
when I think of it : it will be raore decent, therefore, to leave
it. I hear, I assure you, very faithfully from Sophia of your
achievements in college. I hope you have raade use of all my
books.

2 20 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
' Write iraraediately and tell rae whether Sir Howard
Douglas has received a long story I wrote him about a month
ago. Remeraber me very kindly to him and Lady Douglas.
Give my best compliraents to Colonel and Mrs. Le Marchant,
and all ray old Wycorabe acquaintances. Sir Howard will be
glad to hear that Captain Belli, of the 16th Dragoons, and a
schoolfellow of raine, who was taken prisoner on the 5th, is
only slightly wounded.' To his Sister.
' Nave d'Aver, near Fuentes d'Onoro : May 2+, 1811.
' The detailed accounts of a sanguinary conflict,* but glo
rious to our arms. In the neighbourhood of Badajos, will have
reached you In fifty shapes, I ara certain, before this letter of
raine can arrive. I shall therefore not atterapt to assist you
with any of the particulars that have as yet reached us of this
interesting business. Indeed, our information continues to be
very imperfect, and we are acquainted with little else than the
final success of our arms and the raagnitude of our loss. This,
indeed, has been heavy. It seeras to have been contended for
on one side with all the irapetuoslty and energy of veteran
French troops, accustomed to conquer in every field ; and on
the other, with the unconquerable and determined spirit of
the English, less used, perhaps, to victory, but certainly less to
defeat. The Spaniards, too. In this instance, are themselves
again. Our letters say, " The Spaniards behaved heroically."
I am impatient to hear all that may be learnt from this quarter ;
the more so, perhaps, as ray rambles last sumraer made me
acquainted with a great part of this country, and the scene of
action is quite familiar to ray recollection. In the raeantime,
ill news (which never fails to travel fastest) has already reached
' This refers to the terrible battle of Albuera, in which the allies, under Marshal
Beresford, gave battle to Soult on May 16. The battle, though it only lasted
four hours, is one of the most sanguinary on record. The French lost 8,000 men,
whilst the allied armies had to deplore a loss of nearly 7,000. The brunt of the
action was borne by the English, who had only 1,500 unwounded men left., 'the
remnant of 6,000 unconquerable Engli.sh soldiers.'

iET. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 221
us, raaking us acquainted with the loss of raany of our best
officers and choice troops.
' Araong them all, there is no one to my mind more deserving
of general regret than the Spanish general, Charles, Comte
d'Espagna. I think I have mentioned him to you In some of my
letters from the Alentejo; If I have not, it must have been be
cause ray attention was drawn off suddenly to other subjects, fori
have raet with few since you and I parted whose character and
fortunes have raade so lasting an Irapression upon rae frora so
short an acquaintance as his. He belonged to that set of raen
whom I confess to you I am used to regard very partially — I
mean the old French nobility. When the fortunes of the
King became irretrievable he followed his father to England,
and fought, I believe, in Flanders, under the Prince de Conde.
He appears to have been very well received in England, and I
ara sure recollected it better than anybody. I do not know
when he carae to Spain, but I can easily understand that a
person of his rank and ardent spirit, who had, unhappily, no
other interest than his own to serve, would choose any service
to enter into in preference to that of England. He raarried
in this country, and rose rapidly to the rank he held at his
death. Since the breaking out of the Spanish war he has
alraost always been entrusted with a separate coraraand, has
proved himself an admirable partisan, and distinguished himself
on raany occasions. He was eraployed In this raanner when I
found him at Alcantara. Regnier had just crossed the Tagus,
and as his movements were for sorae time very uncertain, Don
Carlos was left with a very small force to watch the passes of
the river, and bis vigilance was unceasing. I had fortunately,
some days before I carae to Alcantara, fallen iu with an officer
employed from a different quarter upon the same service with
myself, and we visited him together. He received us with some
thing more than the good breeding of a Frenchman, and seemed
to be paying off debts of honour of long standing In every good
office he did us ; and had It been our business to continue
with him as long as he required, I am not sure whether he
would not, in spite of his slender means, have soon cancelled

22 2 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [isii.
the account that he alone kept between himself and Enoland
in acts of kindness and courtesy. Perhaps, too, the set of
peojile he was living with raight have had a share without
knowing It in gaining us this favourable reception. His officers
were like almost all the Spanish officers I have ever seen  a
very motley group, drawn from I know not what class.
Araong them was a guerilla chief named Pantigoso, a sad,
sanguinary fellow, who talked of blood and wounds with all the
impatience, but without the passion, of a Hotspur. He and
his band of myrmidons were, however, very useful to the
partisan, and it was his interest to be faithful. Pantliroso
aud another ferocious colonel were the persons he chiefly held
communion with : they were adventurers, and certainly had
character about thera, such as it was. In the midst of his
banditti, he often used to look words that seemed to imply,
" AVhat a pretty set of fellows I am obliged to keep company
with ; " and he reminded me more than once of Charles, in the
gloomy play of " The Robbers." I dare say you have never
read it, and I do not recomraend it, for, of all German things,
it Is the most German. He more frequently reminded me of
Lord Falkland. Naturally, he appeared to have all the gaiety
with which the French charm us in society, but it seldom broke
through an air of seriousness which appeared habitual to him,
and which he constantly preserved when talking of the critical
'situation of Portugal and all that depended upon her fortunes,
for at that raoment the thunder-cloud was just bursting over
the frontier ; Almeida was just laid siege to. He seemed over
happy to have raet with those in whom he thought he could
create an interest when talking upon these subjects; and spoke
to us with freedom, as Englishmen, both because he was partial
to the character of our nation, and because, from our relations
M'lth the Peninsula, and with Portugal In particular, it was
natural we should take a lively interest In the same cause.
Frequently, in a forced strain of huraour, he used to tell us
that if it should fall to his lot to be again expatriated he would
always go with great satisfaction to England ; but that he was
afraid he had left his native country with a rauch better grace

^t. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 223
at twenty than he should his adopted one now. Yet when he
talked of France, It seemed to be with a feeling for something
beyond himself, or that which depended upon him. I believe
his nature was quite fine enough to bear such an impression,
and whenever it showed itself it raade those who were about
him almost bow with veneration. He was well known to the
present King of France, and had received frora hira raarked
tokens of favour and assurances of esteera. He received the
Cross and Order of St. Louis imraediately from himself, or,
rather, he confirmed It to him. It was not only by those,
however, to whom his loyalty was due that he was so respected
and esteemed: the French generals, and those by whora he
has often been proscribed as traitor, have made raany clumsy
attempts at compllraenting hira. These dirty fellows take
upon them airs of chivalry at times that become them ill
enough, but it is pleasant to draw respect from an enemy, of
whatever colour he raay be. I do not know whether his father
is still living, but his family is in Minorca.
' He has died in the vigour of life. I have dwelt a long
time upon this theme, but it will not be wondered at that the
concern I naturally feel at the premature death of a distin
guished person, with whom I was fortunate enough to become
acquainted, though ever so slightly, should have led me to in
dulge in a longer detail than a dispassionate one might have
given way to ; nor do I think it will weary you to have men
tioned all that I had an opportunity of knowing of one who
seemed to me to have been so truly estimable.
' Something now about ourselves. Our prospects in this
part of the country are not so deplorable as they were when I
last wrote to you. We have good reason to think that after
the fall of Badajos Lord Wellington intends returning to us,
and undertaking something against Rodrigo. I believe it will
not give us much trouble; it is ill garrisoned and ill provided,
and its communication with Salamanca, if not entirely cut off,
certainly rendered very hazardous by the famous guerilla
captain, Don Julian Sanchez, whom I am afraid I have not
done justice to in my letters lately. He has a numerous body

2 24 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
of cavalry under him, and has made himself very useful to us,
even in the action of the 5th, although this is not exactly the
field in which his exertions raay be employed to most advantage.
I could never divest myself of the idea of the Forty Thieves
when I looked at him and his gang; but he has, notwith
standing, a great deal of merit, and is confessedly the first of
his order. * The last packet was full of grateful intelligence to us. I
am rejoiced to find that nobles, plebeians, and all, join in a
general shout of acclamation to Lord Wellington. Nothing,
certainly, can be handsomer than the behaviour of the Parlia
ment ; but he deserves it all. Next to this, the subscriptions
that we find are about to be raised, in addition to the £100,000
for the people of these ruined provinces, are subjects of much
satisfaction among us. You are acting the part of a great
nation throughout.
' You know I am anxious to make as much as I can of
anything I hear favourable to the Spaniards, and I shall be
glad to find others in the sarae humour with regard to their
behaviour at Albuera : their Cortes, too, is every day becoming
less unbending towards us, and more dignified. There are
people here, however, who ask — but what have they done ?
These are the folks, and there are plenty of them, who study
history from the " Arabian Nights' Entertainraents," and expect
that here, as well as elsewhere, the magic ring should work out
its effects, never suspecting that the conjuror has no power so
far north.' 'Sabugal: June 11, 1811.
' Everything is drawing southward ; the French made a
flourish the other day in our front, and seemingly with an In
tention to advance in force upon us. We withdrew. In conse
quence, behind the Coa, and destroyed what remained of the
works of Almeida.
'13th. — I had written so far, when I was called off to
translate sorae interesting papers sent us in a sly way from
Salamanca and towns on the road from thence towards

MT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 225
Plasen9ia. Their whole force has raoved in that direction, leav
ing sraall garrisons in Rodrigo, Salaraanca, and other principal
points. Our array of the north has. In conforralty with the
raoveraents of the eneray, extended itself frora hence towards
Penaraacor, Castel Branco, and the Tagus ; and the greater
part of It, I should think, would be in raarch at this raoraent
upon Villa Velha, directing its course towards Badajos.
Something great is to be done in this quarter Imraediately.
The place defends itself well hitherto, better, I believe, than
we had expected ; and a powerful array, with Soult at its
head, seeras bent upon relieving it, I have that opinion of
Lord Wellington that I think he would decide, In proper tirae,
upon raising the siege, if the occasion deraanded it, but I do
not find that this Is likely to take place ; and I ara even fearful
that It may be thought there is something to spare, and that
we run a risk, situated as we are, of being left in observation
on this side the Tagus. We are directed to raove to-morrow
to Capinha; it is a league nearer to Castel Branco than Bel-
raonte, on the Guarda road. Upon ray word, I like anything
better than fighting for fighting's sake ; but while we are in
the world we like to live in It, and fighting seeras to be the
order of the day here.
' You raay believe that I was not a little happy to find
that the battle of Albuera, desperate as it was, spared, however,
one whom I tried to describe to you as I thought he deserved,
and who, we were given to understand, had fallen in it. I
mean Don Carlos de Espagna.
' I consulted your peace of raind very little when I neglected
telling you in the course of that letter, as I raight have done,
that the parcel of desperate fortunes had at length arrived safe
at Lisbon. It is now on the road to me, in charge of one of
ray own regiment; and after all its "hairbreadth 'scapes" I
will ensure it a hearty welcome, for it finds me, like my neigh
bours, barefoot and ragged-shouldered. Tell Henry we have
been leading not at all the sort of life he has been longing
for lately In this part of the world. For some days past I
have had nightingales under my window, La Bruyere and
Q

2 26 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
Montesquieu upon my shelf; played cricket till our legs were
tired, and chess till our heads were ; and, in fact, we have
alraost forgot the sound of druras.' 'Arronches: June 21, 1811.
' You see they can do nothing without the 5th Division.
Immediately after I despatched my desponding letter to you
from Sabugal we raarched upon Castel Branco and Villa Velha,
and left Portalegre this morning. The 5th and 6th Divisions
are encaraped just outside the town. The siege of Badajos is
raised sorae days since. Soult is in the neighbourhood In
force, but we are equal to anything he can atterapt. The
whole army is collected, healthy, well-provisioned, and impu
dent ; so that you will find, I hope, that we are both morally
and physically qualified to cope with Marshal Soult. They made
a strong reconnaissance the day before yesterday upon Elvas
and Carapo Mayor. The report is to-day that they had pushed
across the Guadiana, and seem to be retiring altogether. We
have just arrived, and take everything upon trust. Godwin,
whom you inquire after so tenderly. Is, I hope, by this time
nearly recovered. My wandering baggage will never catch
rae If we continue to run away frora it so fast as we have been
doing for sorae days past ; it is, however, fairly on the road.
' I am very happy to learn from Henry that Sir Howard is
going out as secretary to General Brownrigg. I understand
it is a post of considerable emoluraent, and cannot be given
into more worthy hands. The Duke's return to office did not
give me less satisfaction, I assure you : the whole army re
joices at it, the lovers of public justice, as well as those who are
anxious for the welfare of the army.' 'Arronches: June 30, 1811.
' Since I wrote to you the other day from this place nothing
of any importance has taken place. The army continues
assembled, and ready to raove Into its position the moment it
appears necessary ; but it is evident the eneray does not mean
to call up such an exertion from us at present. We hear many

MT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 227
reports of bis retiring in raany directions, but, upon my word,
I know nothing of his raoveraents.
' What a kick up the Duke's return to office has created
araong us ! Cressets and epaulettes, and almost stars have
been falling upon left breasts and shoulders of unknown per
sons ; and quiet " walking raen " have had spurs clinging to
their heels, with a label tacked to each, crying, " Know all ye
that are concerned, this Is a raajor." I cannot read a Gazette
that does not place an acquaintance or two out of my reach.
' If you continue to behave well at home, and send us the
reinforcements we deserve, and make the Emperor of all the
Russias fight into the bargain, we shall be very ready to open
the gates of Madrid In the course of the summer to any
traveller whose curiosity prompts him to journey this way.
' July 1. — We have this raoment received orders to go and
take up quiet quarters at Portalegre. We raarch at daybreak
to-raorrow morning.
' I am happy to find ray letters to the general (Benson)
arrived in time to be in any way Interesting. In answer to
the first of his questions, I beg you will tell him that the
spherical shot he Inquires about is In high favour with the
army, and Its utility fully established upon many late occa
sions ; but certainly at Fuentes (where, I dare say. It struck
him this weapon might have been eraployed with singular
effect), owing, perhaps, to a defect in the coraposition, or sorae
damage contracted by lying by, it did not produce the effects
that were expected from it, and which we had a right to calcu
late upon with reference to its forraer exploits. With reference
to his second question, It is certain our dragoons have lately
becorae rauch raore forraidable than they were used to be,
from the practice of the exercise he mentions ; and this, added
to the superiority of their horses, gives them invariably an ad
vantage over the French whenever numbers are nearly equal ;
but the French have always had a great superiority of cavalry
in this country. I am glad to find you are sending us out
more, with Lord Paget at their head — we understand he is an
excellent cavalry officer. «2

228 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
' My last letter will have told you that we were preparing
to raarch the day after I closed it to this place. Here we con
tinue to reraain, much to our own satisfaction, and I believe I
raay add, the object of envy of the whole army besides. We
are even seated high enough to stand in the way of head
quarters. They have threatened to put us to the rout this
many a day past, and I know not how it happens that we have
escaped so long without the threatened Invasion. When they
do come I am afraid they will shake a great number of us from
our seats ; but we do not despair of being suffered to keep
hiding-places in the town, even should this awful visitation
come upon us. Portalegre Is worth keefilng upon almost any
terms. ' This Is very nearly the season when I was here last year
— a week or two later I think I arrived. Nothing can be
raore beautiful than its neighbourhood, or more healthy than
Its situation; and this last consideration is even heightened in
value from its being almost the only spot in the Alentejo
which continues healthy through all seasons. Where the
greater part of the army are now wall shortly be very unhealthy.
The Guadiana is a pernicious neighbourhood at this time of
the year, but I think they will shortly have no cause to remain
upon it. It seeras evident that Soult has given up every
purpose he raight have had In view beyond relief of Badajos,
and his army has separated Into several corps^raore with the
intention, it would appear, of resting his troops during the
very hot season, than of employing them actively. Indeed,
it seeras to be the intention on both sides to lie by, if possible,
during the ensuing six weeks or two months. Comme il leur
plaira. So that oue side does not come and lie upon the top
of us here, I am quite resigned to all the ill they intend rae,
in the meantirae, by leaving us In possession. The hours pass
very pleasantly away with rae. Sorae of them are winged,
heels and shoulders. There Is a French family In the town,
in high credit, and graced with two delightful girls, with whom
I go and " causer " every day for an hour or two. Since I
know them I talk French with the fluency of a dictionary, and

MT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 229
not unfrequently with as little coherence between the parts of
ray discourse.
' Our sunshine has been clouded for some days past by the
self-murder of an amiable man, In coraraand of one of the regi
raents of our division, thinking (at variance, I believe, with all
the world besides) that a slight had been thrown upon his
character in one of the late despatches relating to Almeida.
He was young, ardent, full of military qualifications, uni
versally esteemed, and raarried to a young wife, with a
faraily to which he was tenderly attached. What has he not
left us to regret in this dreadful act, unjustifiable in auy age
of the world, iu any condition or season of life, under any
calamity short of madn'ess, and then only pardonable — how
much more unjustifiable, then. In the times and In the belief we
live in.' ' Quinta of Alameira : July 25, 1811.
' All that I prepared you for In my last letter is more than
complete. We have been kicked out of Portalegre, and are
living " under the canopy of birds and beasts " a week siuce ;
wild ones, too, for the woods we inhabit are the ancient in
heritance of wolves and wild boais and serpents. Such,
however. Is their awe of man, or possibly such the scarcity of
their numbers, that we have encountered none of either tribe
since we usurped their territory, and wherever they are to be
found they will probably wait till we come for them. In spite,
however, of this piece of good luck, we find it difficult to lessen
our misfortune in the eyes of the world, and we are doing all
we can to lessen the disgrace. Like the heroes of old, we
would magnify the prowess of our vanquishers, and comfort
ourselves that, at least, we fall by no ignoble hand. Head
quarters, with the 1st Division at their heels, are not found to
be stout enough ; but they must call in Castaiios the Great,
and all that is worthy to be called Spanish, to complete the
overthrow. It is quite a pleasure to be turned out of doors
upon such terms. I dare say you perceive I am speaking for
ray friends. For rayself I continue to live under a roof, and
ara therefore not called upon, in my own person, for such

230 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
superb feelings. Our carap Is about half distance between
Portalegre and Alegrete — a long league from either place — and
Immediately under the Sierra of Saint Maraed : the situation is
healthy, and as a picture it is beautiful. About a raile nearer
to Portalegre we have established our head-quarters, at an ex
cellent Quinta, which I have named at the beginning of my
letter. There are gardens, fruits, abundance of wood, and
variety of it ; water just as you please — In fountains, lake,
streara, cascade, or mill-race ; mountain, craggy and uncovered ;
valley of vine ; olive (I was going to say milk and honey), in
a favoured district of S. Maraed ; close at hand, a forest of
chestnut trees, a many-twinkling wood, through which you can
ride for miles by excellent roads, unbonneted, under a meridian
sun, and mistake it for the moonlight. And to be sheltered
from such a sun as we have nowadays awakens a sort of
sensation that we feel far from disagreeable, when we have
something dreadful near us which we are conscious Is prevented
frora doing us harm.
' There are nothing but cottages to interrupt you in these
rides, and cottages sometimes in such places as make you stop
and stare, and wonder how they got there. What is there in
all this to make us envy head-quarters, Castaiios, and the 1st
Division ? I went yesterday to pay the visit that everybody
pays, and returned to my woods, exclaiming, with Ermlnla's
shepherd, " O corte, addio ! "
' A young hermit is a stupid fellow, too. I hope you do
not expect that I shall become one. But I like a morning's
ride by rayself, and I shall often clirab into the woods I have
been describing to 3'ou if our gipsy life continues.
' There is every chance of our remaining as we are for a
month or six weeks. Two divisions have crossed the Tagus.
The rest are cantoned in the healthy parts of the Alentejo.'

215T. 26.] Sir Williajn .JVIaynard Gomm. 231

CHAPTER XL
1811-1812.
The Pass of Peralbs— Grand Scenery- Storms — Guarda— Promotion
TO Majority — Assistant Quartermaster-General,- Storming op
Ciudad Rodrigo — Capture— Advance upon Badajos.
' Payo, near the Pass of Perales, Sierra de Gata : August 16, 1811.
' How raany tiraes have I had the pen In ray hand since
we began our march frora Portalegre, devoted, as I intended
it should be, to your service, and have been obliged to eraploy
it upon other subjects. War, you see, is very much in our
day as It used to be with Alexander, if the song be faithful,
" Never ending, still beginning ; fighting still, and still de
stroying." No man surely was ever more blind to his destiny
than I was when I last wrote to you from the woods of
Alameira. The army marched almost iraraediately after. I
wrote to Henry frora Castel de Vide, and told him my next
letter to you should be from Castel Branco ; but soldiers' vows,
in these situations, are commonly as false as dicers' oaths,
and I hope Jove treats them as he does lovers' perjuries, at
which, they say, "he laughs."
' You will observe I have taken some pains at the top of
my letter to furnish you with the means of discovering where
we are. We have been several days in this neighbourhood.
The care of the Alentejo is left to its old defenders. General
Hill and the 2nd Division. With the exception of this and
some Portuguese and cavalry, the whole array is asserabled in
this point — part investing Rodrigo, and the reraainder covering
the operation.
' The French are at Plasen9ia. Between this and Rodrigo
runs the strong chain of raountains separating Estreraadura

232 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
from Castile, called in this part Sierra de Gata, and higher up
Sierra and Pena de Fran9ia. We are posted iraraediately
behind this Sierra, and all the passes through it leading from
Plasen9ia and Coria to Rodrigo, are committed to our charge.
' I have been very busy in exploring since we carae here,
and ray work is not half over yet. I should have continued
it to-day had I not hurt ray foot yesterday on horseback, and
ara inclined to Indulge it in a day's rest. Each of these passes
is a Therraopylse. The French reconnoitred the heads of thera
yesterday with a strong party of infantry and cavalry ; did
some mischief in the villages below the raountain, and caught
sorae of us napping. (They cannot force us here while we are
awake.) Rodrigo is weakly garrisoned, and I should think
would fall to us soon.
' Think of ray meeting the other day, quite by accident,
with Don Carlos. He was passing through the town we had
just marched into on his way to take the coraraand in Old
Castile. He is quite recovered frora his wound, and I was
not a little proud to find that he recollected immediately not
only rayself but ray narae, the raoment I presented myself
before hira. A year's separation after so short an acquaintance
generally obliterates at least one from the memory. He has
given rae a thousand coramissions to perforra for him in Eng
land, all of which I engaged to do, and none of which I shall
perhaps be able to accomplish. However, I have already
shown every disposition to end well, for I have begun by losing
the memorandum he left with me, and must write to him
immediately for another.
' . . . You will be glad to hear that my friend Godwin is
recovering the use of his hand by degrees. I receive left-
handed letters frora him as often as he can write them, for his
right hand as yet is unequal to Its office ; and to tell you the
truth, as I have already told himself, If his penmanship were
the only consideration, I should not care how long it continued
so, for he writes better to me with bis left hand than ever he
did with bis right, for although he has it better under control
than anyone I have ever seen write left-handed who expected

jsT. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 233
to recover the use of the right, he has not sufficient command
over it yet to take liberties. . . .' 'Payo: September 1, 1811.
' I have just accomplished the impossible. I have written
a letter to General Brownrigg, begging him to get me a
majority in one way or the other before he leaves England,
corrected and revised till it is as clear of passion and as full of
hard words as ever letter of the kind was written by the most
Indifferent of suitors to the most indifferent of patrons ; and I
have the vanity to think It equal to any of those models that
are published by our literati for the assistance of the unlearned,
whenever It should be their chance to fall into difficult situa
tions. I wish It all the success it deserves.
' I sat down the other day to tell you that we were still
upon our mountain throne, without a chance of being dislodged
either by friend or foe. Since this we have certain accounts
of Marmont's marching upon Salamanca from Plasen^ia ; and
I believe about this time his army is collected there. He can
intend nothing against us, nor interrupt our proceedings
asrainst Rodrigo without considerable reinforceraent. We
hear it is coming, with the Emperor at its head. You know
more of this than I do, for I promise you this last report we
get from England.
' Since I wrote to you last I have been Lavaterlsing the
face of this country, and find plenty of character in it. It was
evidently made for the giants, and since they were disinherited
It has not been much frequented. We little people feel as if
we had no business here. Not one of the six or seven passes
that I have explored (conscious all the time of my unworthi-
ness) but has a character peculiar to itself. Sometiraes you
ascend to the head of the raountain, which always rises gradu
ally on our side, and look over on what seems an unfinished
part of the world — so vast and shapeless everything appears.
If you descend, though by very safe roads, you wind round
precipices that it is not prudent to look in the face before
breakfast or after dinner (unless it be as ladles dine); and
further on you cross chasms which the giants might have

2 34 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
bestridden wiih perfect ease to themselves, but over which
bridges have been flung since they vacated their seats, and
these points are not uninteresting to those who have to defend
thera against attacks from persons of as small dimensions as
themselves. Looking up after having got so far, you see a
hundred rocks hanging over you that I suppose hav'e been
stationary from the beginning of time — -certainly since the
days of the giants ; but they look so very black and menacing
that I believe no one has ever passed under them without
feeling convinced that they only waited for his arrival to put
theraselves in raotlon. Our alarms make us very vain at
tiraes, but I believe this is one of the few instances in which
we do not feel mortified at finding that we overrated our im
portance. There are wolves here too, but I never encoun
tered one ; and if the veracity of grave men were to be
questioned, I should be tempted to suspect that a wolf was as
inseparable from the story of a mountaiu as a fairy used to be
from that of a dell or river-bank. On other sides the scene Is
quite different. You have cultivated landscape beneath as ex
tensive as your eyes can carry you, and the moment you begin
to descend you lose sight of it in a forest of large branching
chestnut trees reaching to the foot of the mountain, where there
are situated a number of populous and pleasant villages, rich
at this moraent In wines and all sorts of fruit. Here, too,
there are bridges to cross, but of a raore genteel description ;
and the rocks are so dressed out with laurel, arbutus, and
rayrtle, and all sorts of green things, that there is nothing
terrific In them, but rather it would seem a pleasure to be
tumbled upon by such well-graced monsters. Sometiraes there
is a " silent valley," such as Milton's fallen angels retired into,
and sang. It would be quite big enough to hold them all, even
though Satan, as he is described, should be taken as the
standard of measurement for each. You see how naturally a
quartermaster-general sets about portioning off ground before
he is aware of it. Yet I believe I have looked at these scenes
oftener as an amateur than as a soldier in the course of my
rambles. The highest point of the raountain they call Xalaraa,

MT. 26.]- Sir William Maynard Gomm. 235
and from hence you raay see the hawdt soaring, and he is still
beneath you. Sometimes the shepherds — to rouse the game
or perhaps to frighten the wolves from the neighbourhood of
their flocks — set fire to the heath below, and if the wind is at
all in the secret, in a moraent the whole side of the raountain
is alive, and such a sraoke and flame and roaring keep pace
with the conflagration as you would think it could only be the
business of a volcano to produce. I owe it to ray good fortune
more than to anything else about me that one of these itinerant
bonfires had not played me a shabby trick the other day, for
in going down one of the passes upon a sort of adventure the
traitor crossed my way before I had completed the object of
ray expedition ; and I and ray party were obliged, with sorae
difficulty and more labour, to gain another pass to return horae
by, without risk, however, as the eneray we wanted to learn
something about was further off than we suspected. I beg
you will not disclose this adventure to ray railltary friends. I
do not know whether I shall ever be able to afford it, but
certainly not at present. For want of soraething raore irarae
diately interesting to regale you with, I believe I have ex
hausted the subject of landscape drawing. But for none of its
natural qualifications, in ray opinion, does this place deserve
to be half so rauch celebrated as for its being the spot where
on the wandering parcel and rayself at last carae together.
' No Bonaparte coming, no Russian War, and Marmont
not proceeding beyond Banas ; this is all I have to add, not
as news for you, but as information we have just received frora
England, excepting the latter circumstance.
' I shall be glad to hear from you again ; in the mean
time rest assured everything Is safe and exactly as I wished
it, and do not think anything is impossible henceforward in the
adventures of a parcel.
' We rejoice to hear the King is something better.'
'Payo: September 19, 1811.
' I received your letter, but not by the hand of Sir Howard,
as you suppose. I dare say you have since heard he is gone

236 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
to Corunna, so that he took the earliest opportunity of sending
me your letter ....
' I believe I told you, when I wrote last, that we were
placing ourselves in a situation for besieging Rodrigo. Our
battering train has beeu raoving up the Douro for sorae time
past, and is now, I believe, very near its ultimate destination.
It seeras to be the opinion, however, that the French are, or
will shortly be, In force sufficient to prevent our undertaking
this operation In their face ; but there is no prospect of their
atterapting a fresh invasion of our Portuguese territory. What
ever they mean to do will certainly be done shortly, and I
hope I shall not have to date my letters to you from this place
raany weeks longer : It would raake a rigorous winter quarter.
Nature seeras to do nothing in moderation here. You ask
me how we thunder In these countries, I assure you the
thunders of Xalaraa (which is the name they give to the
highest point of the mountain, and we lie Imraediately under
it), are not coramon thunders, but they remind one of those
that were launched at the Titans of old ; and we are sometimes
tempted to believe they are again in possession, and again
disobedient. ' A few nights ago, while In bed, we may be said to have
been clothed in thunder and lightning, for it seemed to have
got in among us, for some hours. The lightning was one
unequal blaze, but as uninterrupted as the motion of a troubled
sea, and the thunder seemed to depart from our side. Every
cloud that burst over the raountain descended instantly upon
us, but our humble cabins had no temptation to electricity.
The rain and hail only condescended to visit us plentifully.
There certainly never was such disturbance abroad. One
could have thought nature had suspended her laws, -while she
was in reality enforcing them gloriously, for we have breathed
freely since, which we had not done for many days before ; and
the vines, olives, and chestnuts are very much obliged to her,
however rough she raay have been In the dispensation of her
favours. I suppose you have a comet In view every night, as
well as ourselves. But it has been eclipsed araong us for a

Ml. 26.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 237
moment by the appearance of the Heroine of Saragoza. She
passed, by accident, through our quarters, and stopped a short
time among us to receive the homage we were all very ready to
pay her. I wish she was prettier, for I cannot help confessing
ray frailty In adraitting the supposition that beauty could add
anything to the charras of a damsel so bewltchingly heroic. I
begin to fear (and I date frora the appearance of this constella
tion of exploits) that raine is not a well-organised mind.
' The Prince of Orange carae here the other day, and I
showed him the lions. He appears a fine young raan. It is
soraething curious to contemplate that a Prince of Orange
should be actively employed in the cause of Spain. Who says.
the world does not go round ?
' Still we hope for better accounts of the King : the strength
of his constitution Is wonderful.
'¦Wednesday. — A report has just reached us that the
French are in march from Plasen9ia towards Talavera and
Madrid.' 'Guarda: October 1, 1811.
' When I wrote to you last, I believe I told you that the
French were showing a disposition to relieve Rodrigo frora its
uneasy neighbourhood. They have since justified our expec
tations. On the 25th they crossed the Agueda, a short distance
above Rodrigo, and forced the advanced corps of our array in
this direction to retire upon Gulnaldo. Several very handsorae
things were done on our side, against a very superior force.
On the 26th we were more concentrated, and better prepared
to dispute the ground with thera. They, however, declined
attacking us this day, but their raoveraents rendered it neces
sary to concentrate still raore ; and during the night and
following raorning we fell back upon the heights behind Aldea
Velha, Aldea Ponte, and Alfaiates ; our division on the right
behind Aldea Velha. In the course of this day they made
partial attacks upon our centre, and gave fresh opportunities
to the Portuguese, as well as to our own troops, to show
the humour they were in. The next raorning we retired

238 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
further, upon Quadraseis ; but the French withdrew also,
and we have seen nothing of them since. Our light troops, I
believe, are again at Nave d'Aver, Alameda, and Gallegos,
their old cantonments. We never expected they would atterapt
to force us frora the Coa, but we thought they would have
attended us so far. The whole array Is going into canton-
raents ; ours are here, and there Is every probability of our
continuing cloud-capped for some raonths, unless the French
make advances upon Galicia, and then I dare say we shall
make diversions from it. This is a good town, in spite of the
shaking It has had, and the frost and snow it threatens us
with. ' Did not you raake Henry a present a long tirae ago of a
book coraposed or corapiled by a Doctor Gregory upon natural
philosophy ? If I am right, he has it by him. I think I may
safely get you to ask hira to send it out to ine whenever one
of your opportunities presents Itself, as I presume he has
enough upon his hands at present without the Doctor, who,
from the little I have seen of him, appears to be a host In
himself. I propose to become very strong In this branch of
wisdom before the close of winter. If you will undertake to
help rae out so far. At present I ara as ignorant as anybody
about me.
' I wrote to Henry the day we broke up frora the frontier
— a letter full of prophecies, and an order upon the Treasury
for £150, which I wish hira to give Into Biddulph's hands.
Fighting, you see, raakes one rich.
' Still the sarae accounts frora Windsor : are they never to
raend ? ' ' Guarda : October 21, 1811.
' General Walker came among us a few days ago frora
Corunna, and by good luck we have had hira appointed to
command a brigade in the 5th Division, so that he is now in
Guarda. He is very well, and glad to be relieved from his
troublesome post at Corunna. Of course you know by this
tirae that Sir Howard Douglas Is filling his place there.

MT. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 239
' Our weather (with the exception of four-and-twenty hours
of tempest, which very likely affected you as well as us) has
been weather of Paradise ever since we carae here. To-day
there is a break up, and Garnerlu's balloon was never more
fairly seated in the clouds than we are at this raoraent.
' Adieu beaux jours ! If the world does not belie thee, O
Guarda, for It says that v^rlien you once begin to rain and fog,
there Is no end of It.
' I am in the middle of Eugene, and I laid him down to
write to you. He delights, although In English, and sometiraes
I ara sure Ill-translated. You know his life was one of my
school books — thanks to Goully — and half the events he
relates are still fresh in my recollection ; but his biographer
could never give them the Interest that he does himself. His
simplicity is admirable; if there is any affectation about hira,
it is an air of levity he constantly puts on in giving a tale of
butchery, which, by-the-bye, he has frequent occasion to do;
but his meeting with his mother at Brussels is finely told, and
bis friendship with Commerci and the Prince of Saxe-Gotha.
On all these occasions he says quite enough, and I should
think would pacify any crusty people who might have taken
huff at his talking of the wry faces the Jews made when they
were eraployed in tossing the 12,000 dead Turks into the Danube,
and so forth. He has raade me laugh heartily sometimes.
Vendorae's revenge for his atterapt to kidnap hira, I think, is
excellent — his Battle of Oudenarde is beautiful. I do not
know whether he is more admirable in his acknowledgments
to his friends or his foes, or whether it would cost more to an
ordinary mind In his situation to tell the truth of Vendorae or
of Marlborough. Vendorae, as far as I have gone,- is certainly
the hero of the book, and I will defy his biographer, if he has
one, to raake anything half so interesting of him as Eugene
does, and really frequently at his own expense, for to do it on
other terms may be policy, but this raust be liberality.
' I have been talking to you as if you had a thorough
acquaintance with all I have been talking about, but if you
have it not already, you Inevitably raust set about it, for it is

240 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1811.
at all points a lady's book, as full of the marvellous as Ccelebs
or anything that I know of in the republic of lady's literature.
Pray send It me In French if ever you have an opportunity.
I shall always be in the humour to read it over and over
again.'
¦• 'Guarda: November 19, 1811.
' I have had an answer from General Brownrigg. He says
he thinks I deserve promotion almost as much as sorae of my
neighbours, and that he will say so to the Duke of York before
he goes, I suppose now he is gone; he raust have had rough
weather, ' We are all quiet here. General Hill, you will find, has
been punishing Girard for his negligence in Estreraadura. I
travelled the road he took, through Aldea del Cano, etc., when
I went from Merida to Ca9eres. I ara happy It has happened
to General Hill ; he is a favourite of raine.
' I believe it is to Goully that I ara indebted for an intro
duction to a raost valuable character lately — General Graham.
He lives at a village called Lagloso, two leagues from Guarda,
and has shown me great attention, I respect hira raore than I
can describe to you. I find frora the newspapers last received
that Goully is still at Windsor, No amendment I am sorry to
find in this quarter,' 'Guarda: December 1, 1811.
' I am afraid I shall appear dilatory in answering all the
congratulations your last letter brought rae upon ray accession
to the bench.'
' Immediately after I received your letter, the army made a
forward movement, I believe for the purpose of threatening a
rich convoy that is on its way from Salamanca to Rodrigo.
This will have the effect of making Marmont collect a laro-e
portion of his army, if he means to carry It through, and will
therefore harass hira. Our raove was upon Alfaiates and
Payo. Here we reraained four days, rather fortunately for me,
' On October 10 he had bpen promoted to be a Major.

JET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 241
for I had picked up a sore throat and sorae fever, and I there
fore passed them in bed, having nothing better to do, and
thereby got completely rid of my ailings.
' We halt In Guarda only this day. To-morrow we cross
the Estrella to LInhares and Villa Cortes. The day after, we
march to Pinheiros and the neighbourhood, and on Wednesday
we enter our cantonments round Galizes. We promise our
selves good winter quarters, much warmer and nearer our
supplies than where we now are. The weather has been very
fine, but very cold, for some tirae, and it still continues.
There Is no snow yet upon any of the raountains,
' A word or two now touching the majority. Your conjec
tures as to how we get it are, I think, rather too favourable to
me and my friend. . . . To the sincerity of the Duke of York,
and to Goully's recollection of me, I feel every obligation. I
dare say Goully will one day or other have an opportunity
of expressing to the Duke of York how sensible I am of his
goodness, and I beg of her to do me this kindness whenever
she can. I ara endeavouring to get a lift on the staff since my
promotion, and I do not think I shall find rauch difficulty in it,
I shall certainly not think of leaving the country,
' Dallas has just joined the regiment, quite re-established by
the Caldas baths, and looking better than ever I saw him,
' My friend Godwin, whose letter brought me the first
tidings of my new creation, is in London, taking the first advice
about his wounded hand. He has recovered wonderfully, but I
am afraid a miracle would be wanting to restore it to hira as I
would wish.
' General Walker has this raoment been with me, and
desires me to remeraber him very kindly to you. I do not
know whether I have ever acknowledged the receipt of the
boots you sent rae by him. I am very much obliged to you
for thinking of rae, and I wish those who raade them had
recollected me as well, for they made allowances for the chance
of ray having grown since we parted, which was hardly fair.
However, it did no harm, for I happened not to be in distress
myself, and they sit remarkably well upon as houest a fellow
R

242 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8lt.
as myself — ray old charge d'affaires Thomas. Talking of
charge d'affaires, I am sorry to find we are to lose Mr. Stuart
in this country. I hope he is going to be of more use to us
elsewhere. I am afraid not though.' 'Travinhas : December 7, 1811.
' I told you in ray last letter that I had written to the
Quarterraaster-General, expressing a hope that my promotion
would not be the raeans of removing me from under his orders,
and I have this raorning received a very gracious answer from
him. He begins his letter : " I should be very sorry if your
late promotion were to lead to your removal from the Quarter
master-General's Department, and so far as Lord Wellington
is concerned, I have no apprehension of the kind. I beg you
will let me know the exact date of your appointment to the
rank of major, that you may be put in orders as Assistant
Quartermaster-General, and Inserted in the pay lists as such,
frora that period." General Murray has shown me great
kindness on raany occasions, and he has not disappointed rae
on this.' You may therefore drop the Deputy in addressing rae as
soon as you please, and give me an early proof you are aware
of my consequence. I assure you I look upon this as no
trifling point gained ; for, setting aside the advantages I derive
from it in point of emoluraent, I ara now filling the situation
that I prefer to all others, so long as I hold the rank I have,
with an array under such circumstances, and under Lord
Wellington's orders, instead of setting off to take a nap with
my drowsy 2nd Battalion in Gibraltar, My duties will differ
very little from those I have been all along employed in, and
I think it probable I shall continue with the 5th Division, I
like it, as ray regiment belongs to it, and I have great hopes
of General Leith's again taking the command of it. He has
been iu Lisbon some days since,
' I am very well pleased with matters as far as they have
gone lately, but I must lose no time in looking out for the
lieutenant-colonelcy, and bidding as high for it as my means
will allow me whenever it falls in my way. This step obtained,

J5I. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 243
everything goes on afterwards by seniority ; and, therefore,
the sooner I get it the better.
' A word or two now about our quarters. The village I
date my letter from, and in which I am living, lies about a
league to the right of the great road leading frora Celorlco to
Coimbra. The 9th Regiment and the head-quarters are here,
and the remainder are distributed among eight or nine of the
neighbouring villages. General Walker Is at a place called
Midoera, about three miles frora here, and, to our great raorti-
fication, a better village. I saw him an hour ago, and dine
with him to-raorrow.
' I hope they will suffer us to remain In these villages as
long as we are to be Idle, and 1 think it likely they will. We
shall have, at least, sound shelter from the weather, which, In
many parts of the country, is a rare qualification for a house.
At present the weather is delightfully fine, but cold. The
country is beautiful.
' The French swept with a light foot over this part of the
country ; and many of these villages (particularly this and
Midoera) retain no traces, or hardly any, of their ravages,
' I am sorry to find that at the time you wrote last Aunt
had not been quite well, and like myself lately had been rather
fond of her bed, I trust, however, that it proved as good a
friend in need to her as It did to rae, for I have been on ne pent
pas mieux ever since. Thank all my friends as often as you
think it necessary for all their congratulations, I rejoice to
hear Goully continues so well. The Princesses are very
gracious, and I wish I could let thera know my sense of their
kindness in thinking of rae,' ' Albergueria : January 18, 1812.
' The dating of my letter will, I daresay, not surprise you,
as you will certainly have heard before this reaches you of the
movement of the array upon Rodrigo. We have made five
marches frora Travinhas, passing the Estrella by Guarda, and
arrived here yesterday. We are not sorry, therefore, to have
a day's rest for our horses and ourselves. It is probable we
shall have more. Very rapid advances have been made In the

244 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.,
siege, and we are full of hopes. The breach was half prac
ticable yesterday. However, you raust understand that the
preparing the other half is a work of labour.
' We are here within twenty railes of the town, and hear
the cannon distinctly. It has been incessant during the night,
and continued at intervals throughout this day. The weather
has been the finest possible for us, but it has soraetlraes frozen
too hard for our poor friends in the trenches. The nights are
bitter cold, but there is every prospect of a continuance of
dry weather. This day and yesterday have been like May
in England. The 5th, 6 th, and 7 th Divisions have nothing to
say to all this ; they are taking too good care of us. We
expect General Leith to join us this evening or to-raorrow ;
and we hope, through his raerits, to be brought forward,
should Marshal Marmont get over the Gata with the intention
of disturbing us. He set off in a hurry for Valencia sorae
tirae since with all his people ; and D'Orsenne, I believe, for
Vittoria. I believe they will find a difficulty in diverting us
frora our purpose, as raatters stand. Marmont, we under
stand, is in march to repass the Gata.
' Orders have this moraent reached us to raarch forward
to-raorrow to Gulnaldo and Casillas dos Flores.
' Henry's winter carapaign beats ours in hardships. In
the whole catalogue of our calamities we have nothing so
severe as silk stockings o' frosty nights ! I hope when I write
again to be able to account to you for something worth the
telling. At all events, it shall be soon.'
' Ciudad Rodrigo : January 20, 1812.
' The place was stormed at seven o'clock last night, in two
breaches, by the 3rd and Light Divisions, and carried in half
an hour. We marched in this morning to raend holes and
repair daraages.
' You will learn the particulars frora the despatch rauch
better than I can detail thera to you; and they will come to
you fully as interesting In this raanner, since all I learn rayself
is only hearsay.

MT. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 245
' The siege has certainly been carried on with great vigour
and address, and our loss not greater than should have been
expected. I fear we are losing a valuable officer in General
Crawford ; no one entertains hopes of bis recovery.
' Marmont, they say, is at Salamanca with scarcely 30,000
men, which will hardly serve him at present. We do not
expect any trouble from him.
' Valencia has fallen, and Blake and his array prisoners.
One of the Napiers is again wounded, and lost bis arm ; surely
there are lucky and unlucky men in this world.
' We are promised that our labours in this way shall not
continue long. If we display as rauch Industry In repairing,
as others have shown vigour In destroying, we shall do well.
' The town this morning presents all those painful scenes
which a place taken by assault cannot be free from. There
has been, however, less bloodshed than is usual In such ex
tremities. ' I hope the Division next on the list will soon take the
spade and shovel out of our hands, although I fear there Is
little chance of more interesting employment at present,
Blake's failure has vexed me much. The letter which I wrote
you a day or two ago, and which, I think, will hardly reach
you before this, would have so completely satisfied you of my
security in the midst of these perils and storms, that If I had
not recollected the promise I made you in it of writing soon, I
should hardly have thought it worth while sitting down to
write a long story on a subject that I had so little to do with.'
It is difficult in reading these quiet letters of Major Gorara
to realise the situation and surroundings In which sorae of thera
were written. This last letter, with its date, Ciudad Rodrigo,
January 20, 1812, raust have been written under peculiar
circumstances. That very morning the British had poured
into the town, intoxicated first with joy at their success in the
bloody encounter of the past night, and then with the wine
which they looted from all the wine vaults in the town.
Churches, shops, and houses were first ransacked, and then

246 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
wantonly destroyed. A great fire was even lit in the maga
zine, and the officers were In raany Instances fired upon
by their inebriated soldiers. The French writers blamed
Wellington severely for permitting such barbarity. The
excesses were, however, unlicensed, and were checked as soon
as possible ; while for the brilliant exploit of this capture
Wellington received his earldom and an additional pension.
In such a scene of wild riot and excitement few heads could
have been calmer than that of the writer of these letters, in
which the last received home letters never fail to be acknow
ledged with comraents about the peaceful home doings, and
messages to his various friends and relations. Such messages
aud sentences are, of course, omitted here as of no general
interest ; but they are wonderfully indicative of the mind
of the writer who, from the raiddle of such triuraph, tumult,
and bloodshed, could enter into the quiet interests of home
life. Like all true heroes, Goram was certainly no fire-
eater. ' Rodrigo : January 27, 1812.
' In my last letter I told you that we were to be eraployed
for a few days in putting up what others had just been pulling
down. We have been working very hard, and the defences
will presently be not only repaired, but greatly improved, in
those points which were assailed by us. The breach no longer
yawns ; and dismounted guns are again upon their legs — I beg
pardon, upon their seats — and looking out of window, I need
scarcely add, as brazen-faced as ever. I have a rooted aver
sion to pedantry, and, therefore, in writing to you shall not
detail more particularly what we have done and what remains
for us to do.
' The weather, which favoured us beyond example in our
attack of the place, has continued to smile upon us while we
are providing for Its defence ; and the sun shines out all the
day long and sheds glory upon our labours. " So work the
honey-bees." , , , . exactly so, I hope ; and that when we shall
have completed our work we shall deliver the town to the

MT. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm, 247
Spaniards, with a charge to defend it when called upon, as they
did once before. This will certainly be the case.
' In the meantirae I ara longing to know how it will fare In
England with this last exploit of ours, and what the ground of
censure will be this time. To avoid plagiarism, I detailed
nothing of the siege to you last time when I wrote, but I think
a little criticism In this is pardonable. Will they say that
we have been too lavish of our own blood, or too sparing of
our adversaries, or both ? '
' It is a remarkable feature in the history of this siege, and
one that will distinguish it, perhaps, frora that of all towns
carried by assault, that the loss of the besiegers doubles that
of the besieged. Surely It will be said in after times, if not
now, that the " milk of huraan kindness " was flowing richly
through the veins of these Englishmen, who stopped to draw
breath in the breach, and gave terras there to Frenchmen, and
such Frenchmen. They did not leave the " herrait pity with
their raothers," like Troilus, but fought rather with the teraper
of Hector, " not letting their advanced swords decline on the
declined." Les esprits forts, however, regret that they did
not do frora principle what others do frora passion under sirailar
circumstances. John Bull, though heartily fond of fighting.
Is not a raan of blood, but he Is a greedy fellow, and he plun
dered this tirae with all the rapacity of one to whom such
liberty was new. . . .
' The town Is a safer place of abode than it was the raorning
we entered it. Surely there never was a place, and all that it
contained, so exposed to utter ruin as this was, for several
days after we entered it. The French had left magazines of
powder and loaded shells in every part of the ramparts un
covered. But the town also was full of powder ; and raany
houses, some from negligence, others from wantonness, were
set on fire in the course of the first night, and continued
burning for several days. One of these magazines blew up
' The French had lost 300 killed ; 1,500 men and 80 officers taken, together
with 150 guns. The allies had lost, according to the official returns, 324 killedand
1,378 wounded, rather less than half of which casualties were in the final assault.

248 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I812.
during the assault, and another the following morning, while
we were marching from Gulnaldo, both accidentally. We lost
many valuable lives on both these occasions, and the French
many worthless ones. Fortunately, nothing of any conse
quence in this way has since occurred, and everything Is now
arranged and iu such order, that you run as much risk of
blowing up iu London as we do here. In other respects, we
do not recover ourselves so rapidly. The people are returning,
however — -some to repossess themselves of what has been left
them In the general scramble, others to pry into the ruins of
their late really splendid habitations, which have scarcely yet
done smoking, amazed that the possessions they were so proud
of .should have crurabled into so small a compass, part ex
pecting this state of things, part not. I have been too much
used to such scenes for sorae tirae past for you to expect a very
feeling account of them now. Like Macbeth, we " have
supp'd so full with horrors " they scarcely move us.
' Since I last wrote, we have buried General Crawford,
with military honours, in the breach where be- fell. All that
an army can lose, in its most able and indefatigable partisan,
this array has lost in General Crawfurd.
' General Leith has at length joined us, quite renovated,
and. If I raay use the expression, more hiraself than ever. . . .
Marmont pushed sorae cavalry forward frora Salaraanca the
other day, and has since withdrawn thera. He shows no
disposition to disturb us.'
The foUowing memorandum was written by Sir William
in 1866.
'It was in the spring of 1812, when seated at General
Leith's dinner table, while we were repairing the defences of
Ciudad Rodrigo, rauch ill-treated by our recent siege, that I
had Lord Wellington for ray vis-a-vis, and listened to hira
while propounding his opinion as to what are the character
istics of a really great raan — freedom from all double dealing,
equivocation, subterfuge, and so forth — evidently levelling the
shafts of his criticism at the actual ruler of France; and he

MT. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 249
wound up his lecture by declaring it to be his deliberate con
viction that French domination, then seemingly established ad
infinitum over the continent of Europe, was based upon shifting
sand, essentially rotten at its foundation, and sustained by
fraud, bad faith, and iraraeasurable extortion ; and that it only
required an honest understanding araong the Powers of Europe,
so down-trodden, to put an end to the raost conteraptible
tyranny that ever oppressed the civilised world.
' I well reraeraber the energetic utterance of these closing
expressions in the raidst of a pretty large dinner-party,
'And it was in 1809 that the object of the future Duke's
so qualified appreciation wrote to Massena, then invading
Portugal : " Sweden has lost through her alliance with England
the finest aud raost iraportant of her provinces. This is a new
example to kings that an alliance with England will lead them
to ruin. When I shall show myself beyond the Pyrenees, the
terrified Leopard will seek the ocean, to avoid disgrace, defeat,
and death. The triumph of my arms will be the triuraph of
the genius of good over that of evil, of raoderation, of order,
and of raorality over anarchy, civil war, and destructive
passion." [Recorded In Vol. xx. of the correspondence of Napoleon I.]
' Tirae soon showed which of these was the truer prophecy.'
' Ciudad Rodrigo : February 10, 1812.
' Although I have not heard from you since I last wrote,
owing to our harbours having been blockaded by southerly
winds for some time past, which have thrown you back two or
three packets in our debt, and, though nothing has happened
in the raeantirae that should make you anxious to hear from
me, still, as I think there is a chance of our raoving long and
rapidly soon, it raay be as well, while I have leisure, to pre
pare you for a longer silence than I ara used to keep, and you
will then attribute it to the right cause.
' Badajos the Proud is already upon the horizon in our
iraaginations, and will probably soon be so to our senses. The
battering train is on the raove, part frora this quarter, and

250 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
part at this moment sliding up the Tagus to Abrantes. The
array is ready. Badajos, besieged for the third time, will
hardly withstand the insolence of our attack, so lately crowned
with complete and rapid success ; and its impetuosity will be
increased by recollection of the double disappointment it has
already experienced before her own wall. Our proceedings,
however, have been clumsily carried on hitherto against Bada
jos, and our engineers worked here as if they had a character
to retrieve. They had better continue in this humour ; they
will hardly overdo their purpose, however well they may
succeed this time against the place. You shall hear of deter
rained things done In the course of a month or two.
' The Lion will glare with an angry eye upon these walls,
and if the Frenchmen presurae upon his " royalty of disposi
tion," as they did at this place, and think it iDolitlc to wait, as
they did here, till he Is araong thera, before they propose to
capitulate, I ara rauch mistaken if he does uot rage as never
lion raged before, and Badajos will In after times be called
" the place of blood."
' I had rather have nothing to say to the trenches. I shall
be better pleased If It falls to our lot to corapose part of the
covering array. Soult is a saucy fellow, and will certainly
corae down frora Seville. I have already told you General
Leith is with us. I shall be disappointed if you do not find
us taking the lead in some of these matters. Our work here
will soon be completed, and part of a Spanish garrison will be
here to-morrow. The Governor-General, Vivez, has arrived.
Castanos Is here. We have seen a great deal of him, and of
the people about him, during the last few days. Tell Goully
I like him very rauch. He Is not a raan, however, that people
would point at in quiet times and say, " This is the raan that
shall lead us when the invader comes ; " but he has a great
deal about him that should recommend him to us. He seems
to have lived a good deal in public life, has a great deal of
natural good humour, and, I dare say, does not want Intelli
gence or activity as a soldier. But we are always looking out
for heroes and thunderbolts of war in this country, and we are

iET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 251
out of humour with anything else. Certainly, a few of these
are to be wished for, but we want a great raany like Castanos.
He is friendly to the English, not only frora principle, but
evidently from inclination. General Leith Is certainly the
very best man in the world to act the part that is required of
him on this occasion ; but I declare that I have never seen
the Spaniards otherwise than conciliating when we ourselves
have known how to behave. But not unfrequently we expect
to find in them the monstrous combination of servility towards
those in alliance with them, and independence of spirit towards
their declared oppressors, and, happily, we are always disap
pointed. The new Regency, I hear, is doing everything that
becoraes thera. The reputation of the English array is now
firraly rooted on the Continent; and, if I were a prophet, I
raight say that the Spanish cause will prevail. As it is, I can
only say it raust and shall.
' I dined yesterday at Gallegos with General Graham, I
do not know whether I have mentioned to you that he had
several narrow escapes at this siege. All the world would
say that he exposes himself too much on all occasions if he did
not raake such good use of his tirae while, he was exposing
himself. He Is one of those men who set us in good humour
with ourselves and with the times we live in as often as Ave
approach thera ; and, while we honour thera for their own
raerits, we feel a secret pride at the recollection that we belong
to the sarae order of being with themselves, and are glad to
witness the elevation of which our nature Is susceptible. This
is a safe sort of vanity, and such men do more good among us
than they ever calculate upon,' ' Ciudad Rodrigo: March 4, 1812.
' The movement I prepared you for In my last letter is
taking place. The whole army, except ourselves, are In full
march upon Badajos. We have carried the defences of this
place to such a state of forwardness that there is no danger of
their being assaulted by the French, and the Spaniards can
finish them at their leisure, Wc expect to march, therefore.

252 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [I812.
immediately — very likely, I think, the day after to-morrow.
The other divisions are marching by Castel Branco and Villa
Velha. I am in hopes we shall take the more direct line by
the Pass of Perales, Alcantara, and Albuquerque. It is very
probable we shall. The array, however, need feel theraselves
little indebted to us for securing by this raeans their flank on
the march, for there Is nothing threatening it. The French
are not in a state to atterapt anything costly. I do not know
what Soult will be able to produce before Badajos, but they
certainly will not hold all they have during the summer if
things continue going on as they do at present. They are
deserting fast from all quarters ; numbers have come in here,
and the discontent appears to be general among them.
' The Spanish garrison has increased at this place since I
last wrote. Sorae are well clothed, others 111, and sorae (I
was going to say) not at all ; but they are all in the best
humour with us and with theraselves. Lord Wellington has
been paying us frequent visits ; he coraes here to-day for the
last tirae, and sets off iraraediately for the Alentejo. He Is In
high spirits. You know the Regency have raade hira Duke
of Rodrigo. We have received Blake's account of the fall of
Valencia ; his friends here seera as glad to lose hira as the
French can be to get him. Cardinal Mazzlnl would never
have employed hira, for he certainly Is not heureux.
' We have had nothing but gaieties here — fetes, balls
without end, and now and then a masquerade. The Prince
.of Orange is a very Mecaenas on all these occasions, and an
able performer into the bargain.
' If I gave you an account of our evenings you would
declare this to be our Capua; but it would only require that
I should send you a plan of our daily performance to un
deceive you.
' General Walker is quite well, so are Dallas and Le Blanc.
' I never was In better health, or better prepared for hard
work, whether I consider my own legs or ray horse's, I look
upon rayself as the raost fortunate raan with ray horses in
the whole army. They are never ill, I have four that I ride ;

MT. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 253
three of which I think will show their heels, whenever I find
it convenient, to most of their kind In the country,
' I expect to be in the neighbourhood of Badajos in less
than a fortnight,' ' Castel Branco : March 16, 1812.
" We are marching at our ease upon Carapo Mayor, and our
resting here one day gives me an opportunity of answering
three of your letters that have reached me since I left
Rodrigo. . . .
' I shall be better prepared for giving you an Insight into
what is going on before Badajos when we reach Campo Mayor,
than I am at present. Here we know absolutely nothing.
The French, in the meantime, are making some raoveraents of
Iraportance. Soult and the 4th Division of Marraont's army,
we hear, are at Toledo, and Marmont himself at Avila. They
seem desirous of having It understood that they mean to attack
Rodrigo imraediately. I confess that any atterapt of this sort
will in future raake rae as nervous as if I had left ma passion
behind rae, which I ara not conscious of; although certainly a
great deal that was verj' amiable. But we have had so rauch
to say to the placing Rodrigo in the state in which It stands at
present, that we shall be forgiven for feeling a sort of dlvlsional-
raaternal anxiety about all its concerns, and its debut princi
pally, so that whenever it is threatened, you will most pro
bably find me talking feelingly, rather than reasonably,
and you will know to what cause to attribute half my vain
alarms. I look back with much satisfaction to the few weeks
we have passed at Rodrigo.
' I saw more of Lord Wellington during this short period,
In all sorts of ways, than most people who are not constantly
about him would perhaps see in a twelvemonth — ^raore, too,
of the principal Spaniards In that part of the country than
under other circumstances I could have seen. It has also
given us an opportunity of performing a most important ser
vice to the general cause, for we left Rodrigo in such a state,
that with some energy on the part of the Spaniards it will

2 54 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
become a very respectable fortress before the French ought to
be able to come before it.
' I must not forget to tell you that the Prince of Orange
and myself, although the best friends in the world before, have
becorae cronies since he discovered that I was a nephew of
the Countess Briihl. He Inquired after her very kindly, and
found that he had heard of her since I had. He spoke of her
with a great deal of interest. . . ,
' Tell Henry, if the skin is really a handsorae one, with
claws and all the apparatus that contribute to produce a
terrific effect, I should like rauch to raake it a present to Don
Carlos, I will tell hira how to address it when I next write.'

^T. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm, 255

CHAPTER XII.
1812.
Siege— Storming and Capture op Badvjos — Moimenta da Beira —
Sent to Explore beyond Domo — Beauty op Scenery in Thas-os-
Montbs — Salamondb, etc. — Advance driving Marmont over the
ToRMBS— Siege op Salamanca — Capture— Battle op Salamanca — ¦
General Leith.
' Campo Mayor : March 26, 1812.
' The siege goes on as well as it possibly can, and with
every prospect of ultiraate success. Yesterday morning our
batteries opened upon one of the principal outworks of the
place, and it was in our possession by the evening. The main
attack is carried on against the defences on the left bank of
the Guadiana : three divisions of the army, the 3rd, 4th, and
Light, are encamped before the town. General Hill has
pushed on his advance as far as Alraaraz and Merida. General
Graham, with the 6th, 1st, and 7th Divisions, is occupying
Salvatlerra, Villa Franca, etc. The Guards are at Zafra.
Our share of the business Is to occupy the attention of the
garrison as much as possible on the right bank of the river.
For this purpose we made a close reconnaissance of San Cris-
toval, and the redoubts on this side, the day before yesterday,
and we have since closely invested thera. Part only of the
division is eraployed on this service, and the remainder In this
town. The rain has been falling in torrents since we came
before this place. Yesterday, however, the prospect began
to brighten, and this day the sun has smiled upon us through
out. Perhaps the whole of the equinoctial weather has passed
over. A cessation of such as we have lately experienced will
lighten our labours incredibly. Lord Wellington is himself
encamped with the troops. Not only the Guadiana, but the

256 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812._
sraaller rivers, have been so swollen by the rains that our com
raunication with the camp has hitherto been very circuitous,
I hope we shall be able imraediately to becorae raore familiar
with it. We know from the best authority in the world that
the place is 111 supplied with ammunition,
' So late as the 20th Marmont was idle at Salamanca,
Soult can do nothing without him for the relief of the town.
It must fall shortly, and I am building such chateaux en
Espagne for the carapaign of the summer that is coming, as
would be sufficient to raake you all dread ray taking the direc
tion of La Mancha if I only gave you a peep Into one of my
porticos, and my earning the title of " flower of chivalry," or
" knight of the rueful countenance " In reversion, before the
return of the cold weather, , , ,
'6 o'cloch, evening. — We have just received the authentic
accounts of the PIcurlna Fort, the work I have already spoken
about, having beeu carried by storm last night, with some loss
on our side and considerable loss on that of the French. We
shall establish our batteries here immediately, and breach the
main wall, I hope. In the course of a very few days. The
cannonade continues steadily. On our side we are going to
raise a redoubt In front of the Fort Mon Coeur, to engage
the attention of this and St. Cristoval still more closely.
' Tell Henry I shall send hira further directions in a few
days about the tiger's skin, or rather about the manner of
addressing It to Lisbon.' ' Camp before Badajos : April 7, 1812.
' Badajos was carried by storm last night. The details of
the Gazette will show you that ours was no inconsiderable
share In this operation. It is Indeed a splendid triumph, but
full of sadness for us all ; we have lost so many. Poor
General Walker, severely, I fear I raust add, dangerously
wounded. Yet do not, I pray, think that there is no room
for hope. I saw him an hour ago, easier than he had been,
and from the beginning he has been in good spirits. Every
attention is paid him, even In these tumultuous moments, and

MT. 27.] Si}" William Maynard Gomm. 257
I am sure he has skilful people about him. A rausket shot
has entered his chest, and raay possibly have affected the lungs,
but It Is thought very slightly. He has besides bayonet wounds
about hira which are none of them serious.
' He commanded that part of the division which escaladed
the wall while the attacks were carrying on in other parts
upon the breaches and citadeL It was the most hazardous
service, and I have reason to think that it will be declared
publicly that it was the brilliant success in this quarter which
determined the fate of the enterprise ; and he fell on the crest
of the rampart, and at the head of his raen.
' To know this will at least be a satisfaction to all who are
interested about him, and pray think with rae, and I raay add
with hiraself, that all may yet be well with him. Would to
God I could have the intelligence conveyed as I would wish
to those I cannot narae without the deepest distress; but for
heaven's sake let thera hear of It frora you as soon as you can, so
much depends upon the raanner in which these things are told.
' Dallas was not engaged, and Le Blanc, I rejoice to tell
you, is unhurt, in the reglraent which, I believe, has suffered
the raost severely of all. Captain Johnson, General Walker's
aide-de-carap, has been very slightly wounded by a grape-
shot. I have been suffered to escape with a slight bruise upon
my left arm from the ricochet of a grape-shot. I pique myself
on my good fortune on these occasions, the fates have never
threatened me nearer than In ray horse and ray arra. My
own regiment has not been engaged ; but the friends I have
to regret, and whose fate I ara still anxious about since the
sun last set, are numberless. Yet the success is great, and
the acquisition important beyond raeasure. Soult has been
raaking rapid advances to the relief of the place, and you shall
hear more about him in the course of a few days. Marmont
is bullying Rodrigo, but I believe the Spaniards, as well as
Lord Wellington, are laughing at him. Adieu ! Now rest
assured you shall hear from me by every opportunity : the sad
subject with which I began my letter will secure tliis to you if
the usual inducements were Avanting.

258 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
' The weather is extremely hot, but I am quite well, and
so are my horses.
' General Leith has had several narrow escapes, but there
are few who have not since yesterday,
' I had begun a letter to Henry some days ago, but have
been too much eraployed since to finish it. However, I meant
to thank him for all the business he has been transacting for
me, and which he had written me au account of. I have
received notice of the arrival of the parcels at Lisbon, and
expect ever}"^ day to hear of their being lodged in the hands of
my charge ^affaires there. My best love to him and to Aunt
and Goully. Tell Goully I shall be grievously disappointed
if I am not suffered to write her a letter from Madrid in the
course of the sumraer.
' P.S. — I do not know how it happens that I should have
oraitted to mention to you till now that poor George Carleton
was wounded in the face last night, at the head of his regi
ment. The wound Is not dangerous, but I fear, will be
troublesome. I have not yet had it in my power to see him.' '
'PortaUgre: April 14, 1812.
' General Walker had recovered so much beyond our exjjec-
tations when we left him, the day before yesterday, that I now
write to you with all the confidence of a true prophet,
' I do not well recollect all I told you in ray drowsy letter
' The incidents of this awful assault, as given in the histories of the campaign,
show this to have been the most sanguinary of all the struggles of the Peninsular
war. On our side on that night 49 officers and 74i men were killed, 258 officers
and 2,600 men were wounded, and this most fearful carnage had exasperated and
maddened the survivors. For the two days and nights succeeding the attack all
discipline seemed at an end, and Badajos suffered as terribly as any captured
city ever has.
'Maddened by drink and revenge, the soldiers aud the crowd of infamous
camp-followers gave themselves up to the gratifleation of their demoniacal pas
sions. Shameless rapacity, brutal intempprance, savage lust, cruelty and murder,
shrieks and piteous lamentations, groans, shouts, imprecations, the hissing of fires
bursting from the houses, the crashing of doors and windows, aud the reports of
muskets used in violence resounded,' Napier says, ' throughout the town. The
officers vainly strove to restrain the enormities which tarnished the lustre of so
glorious a victory, and only summary executions stopped the disorders.'
In the midst of such a tumult was this letter written.

iET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 259
from Badajos, for I wrote to you before I lay down to rest,
after the busy night we had just been passing, and I frequently
caught myself in the course of my letter making nods and low
bows very mal a propos ; but I believe I gave you reason to
trust that, though his wounds were serious, they were not
dangerous. This, Indeed, is raore than I was justified in doing
by appearances at the moment, although the event saves me
from the self-reproach of having deceived you. At first it was
feared that bis lungs bad been affected ; but the medical people
have since satisfied theraselves that they are not Injured, and
although recovery from such a state as he has been thrown
into cannot, frora the nature of things, be iramediate, yet there
is every hope entertained by himself, and by all those who
understand bis situation, of his recovering gradually and steadily,
but corapletely. I saw him as often as 1 was permitted while
we remained in the neighbourhood of Bada.jos, and could have
wished to have rendered him any little service In my power,
but he has every attention paid him by bis aide-de-camp
(Captain Johnson, General Benson's friend), and I cannot
think he could be better provided for than he Is. He told rae
once that he thought it extreraely probable Mrs. Walker
would leave England the raoraent she heard of his situation,
and not rest till she reached hira. I should be very rauch
shocked to hear of her taking such a step. It is a stormy
element we are living in, and more perplexed and uncertain
than the one which separates our land frora yours, and a deli
cate person should not hear of all that we are about, much less
witness it.' I trust the accounts Johnson has been giving her,
as well as those she has received from others and from yourself,
Avill have effectually prevented her from taking alarm so
rashly. By the time you receive this you will all have had
as much tirae as we have had to recover frora the bustle and
impatience Into which such a siege and such a storm will have
thrown you, and I hope you are fully Impressed with the value
of our services as we are ourselves.
' When I am thinking of friends, some of whora are no
longer among us, and others for whom we are most anxious,
s 2

26o The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
I exclaim, " Dearly bought Badajos ! " but only in these
moraents, ' We marched into Portalegre about an hour ago. Head
quarters are here to-day, and twelve thousand men.
' Marmont has been playing tricks In the north, while we
have been playing deep game in the south. I do not know
yet to what extent, but he can have done us little injury,
militarily apeaking, although he can have been the author
of a great deal of individual misery ; and this, I have no
doubt, he has been. We expect not to remain here beyond
to-raorrow. ' Godwin writes rae that he is just raarried, his wound
nearly well, and that the doctor will give him leave to join us
in a couple of months, and that he raeans to take it. By-the-
bye, on the subject of wounds, ray courteous grape-shot is
stealing away every day the little reraerabrances he left behind
him. Stiffness and his own rich purple hue were all the
presents he left me. Stiffness has stalked off; black and blue
have succeeded to the pure purple ; and when I write again
I expect I shall have degenerated into yellow, and dirty green,
and all motley stains.' To Major Henry Gomm. ' PortaUgre: April 15, 1812.
' Mt dear Henet, — In my letter to Sophia, since the
fall of Badajos, I have already mentioned sorae of the particu
lars relating to our late operations, which I thought would
be raost Interesting to her, and I am now going to give a raore
interesting detail of our proceedings ; for however copious a
despatch raay be which conveys the intelligence of an interest
ing event, there is always soraething which raay be added by
those who were concerned in the execution of a corablned
operation ; and there are many little particulars, desirable to
be known, of which it does not come within the province of
a despatch to make mention. Besides, we were admitted to
BO much raore agreeable a share in this enterprise than in raost
of those that have been lately undertaken, and the part we

J?!!. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 261
played proved to be of so rauch raore consequence to the
result than was at first Iraagined it could have been, that our
vanity leads us to trumpet our exploits to the world with all
their circumstances.
' We were at first employed in drawing the eneray's atten
tion to the right bank of the river, while the raain attack
was carrying on upon the left; but before the breaching
batteries opened we were moved across the Guadiana, and
took up our bivouac about a league from the town, on the
Valverde road. It was originally intended that the assault
should have been given only in three quarters, and that ours
should have been a false attack. But General Leith prevailed
upon Lord Wellington to make us a present of a few ladders,
and to give us an opportunity of carrying our threat into exe
cution ; and it was fortunate in the end that he did so. The
despatch will have detailed to you how the attack was ordered :
the three breaches — in the face, flank, and curtain of the
bastion of La Trinidad and St. Maria — stormed by the Light
and 4th Divisions ; the castle escaladed by the 3rd ; and the
bastion of St. Vicente on the left and close to the river by
ourselves. A little before ten o'clock, on the night of the 8th,
the attack comraenced upon the breaches, that upon the castle
a little later, and ours about the sarae time. The night was
dark, and without raoon, and the raoveraents of the colurans
concealed for a tirae ; but they were soon unmasked by the
pale but powerful glare of their fire-balls, and In an instant a
flood of fire poured over the breaches, sweeping everything
before it like the lava down the side of a raountain. The
attack was repeated and repeated till nature was exhausted
where life was not extinct, and the deterrained spirits which
reraained, I verily believe, had not physical force left thera to
climb up the acclivity they were never tired of assailing, even
had no enemy been there to oppose them, at the time they
were called off. Happily, the attack upon the castle was raore
successful ; the preparations for defence were not so great.
There is no ditch on this side, but a very high wall, not to
be escaladed but at the point where the attack was made.

262 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
By the tirae that the attempt upon the breaches was abandoned,
I think about midnight. General PIcton was In full possession
of the castle with three thousand men. On our side the diffi
culties to be overcome were greater, and the enterprise im
practicable had the principal attention of the eneray been
directed to this quarter. The rarapart at this point was
surrounded with a regular ditch, into which there was no
descent but with the assistance of the ladders we carried, and
the rarapart itself nearly 30 ft. high, with revetement. Our
24 ft. ladders, therefore, of which we were supplied with about
twenty, had nearly played us a trick ; but the parapet above
the cordon was climbable on such an occasion to such as were
not Interfered with from above. It was sorae tirae before we
could establish our footing upon the rarapart, but, through
General Walker's exertions, it was at length effected, and we
had thrown, or rather lifted, four regiraents Into the town
before midnight. Imagine what an effect our bugles, sounding
in this part of the place iraraediately behind the breaches, raust
have had upon those defending thera. It was decisive ; for
although General PIcton had as yet made no attack upon the
town frora the castle, of which he had possessed hiraself long
before the day broke, the breaches were abandoned and the
place no longer contended for. The Governor, who had with
drawn to St. Cristoval, surrendered upon being suraraoned.
Then followed the plundering scene, which was a jurable of all
that was horrible and ridiculous. Our soldiers cannot shed
blood when the occasion calls for it with half the enthusiasm
of other people ; but they enter with spirit into every other
species of extravagance that they are tempted to by being
])laced in these situations, and when brutalised by drink they
blunder into horrible absurdities. The cereraonies at Rodrieo o
were but the rehearsal of all that took place here.
' Now I must give you a short account of the preparations
made for our reception by Marshal Philippon, for there were
certainly many put in force that are not usual ; and in weigh
ing the merits of this important feature In the war, I believe it
will be found that if the place was attacked with a persever-

iEr. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 263
ance and energy seldom equalled, it was defended with all the
spirit and skill that were looked for from a competent French
garrison, headed by an able engineer, who had already had
honours conferred upon him for the defence of the same place.
Besides the usual precautions of cutting ramps and Intrench
ing the front attacked, there was a trench dug In the superior
slope of the parapet, in which rifleraen seated theraselves, and
had a full command of the ditch to the foot of the wall. This
trench extended all round the place. Traverses were made
in all directions, cutting off the front breached. The ctievaux-
de-frise, placed upon the crest of the breaches, were made of
the blades of swords, and of the most formidable description I
have ever seen. But the greatest refineraent upon railltary
mischief that I observed about this pandemonium was the
hanging a number of planks studded with nails a short distance
from the top of the breach by loose cords, which, however,
were made fast within, so that the unhappy persons who gladly
caught at anything by which they expected to hold were not
only precipitated to the bottom of the breach, but miserably torn
by the nails, which only accompanied them in part of their fall.
Quantities of shells were, as usual, lining the top of the para
pet, and wherever there was an opening it was filled up by
splinters, which were to be thrown as stones by such as had
nothing better to do. In fact. It was Intended that we should not
have got Into the town, and at the beginning It seemed as if
they had bound over the elements to interrupt us ; for ten days
after the besieging divisions took the field the rain never ceased
to fall In torrents. But we have since learnt that the manner
in which the business of the siege was carried on under this
heavy persecution was a subject of astonishment to the garri
son, and gave proof of the spirit in which the business was
undertaken. Here then I shall finish ray long story, part of
which, I hope, will interest you — the subject certainly will.
With regard to what you said upon the subject of finance,
I can only tell you that you are at liberty to owe rae as long, and
I should like to add as rauch, as you please ; but I ara afraid
your liberty would soon have bounds fixed to it independent
of our best dispositions on both sides.

264 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
'Niza: 17.
' Tell Sophia I have just received the best accounts of
General Walker. I have not been able to finish my letter till
this moment. We are marching upon Castel Branco.'
To his Sister. ' Castel Branco : April 20, 1812.
' Our march across the Tagus this time has been rather a
fatiguing one, owing to the extreme badness of the weather,
which, however, is giving us every promise to-day of mending.
We arrived here yesterday, and are employing ourselves at this
raoraent in drying our sails and raending our rigging. To
morrow we move on to Alcalns and Lardofa. Head-quarters
are just gone off to Escalhos, two leagues upon the Pena
macor road. The Light and 3rd Divisions and some cavalry
are before us. Marmont is supposed to be at Sabugal with
about seventeen thousand French, his advance on this side the
Coa. I believe I told you, when I wrote frora Portalegre, that
he had been taking his run beyond the Agueda while we
were busy before Badajos. He has done the people some
ralschief, and carried off a good deal of plunder frora the towns
in the valley of the Zezere, particularly Covilhao, where the
principal cloth manufactory in the country Is established.
The Agueda is so swollen by the late rains that he will not be
able to repass it by the fords for many days ; and while the
bridge of Rodrigo Is ours, I think we shall not find him
attempting to cross the river till it becomes fordable. There
are two other bridges, but they would carry hira through
a raost difficult and Intricate country, and they ought not,
besides, to be at his disposal. If, therefore, we can bring up
our cavalry and a sufficient force of infantry, to enable us to
press him before these obstacles to his retreat disappear, he may
have reason to repent his incursion. We are all very anxious,
believe me.
' I have the best possible accounts of General Walker : he
has recovered so much strength as to be able to write to Mrs,
Walker a long letter, which it gave me great pleasure to hear,

^T. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 265
and all who attend him declare that there is no longer any
thing to fear for his safety.
' I shall In all probability have occasion to write to you
again shortly. If Marshal Marmont finds he cannot do better
than wait for our attack, I shall perhaps have to comraunicate a
pleasant piece of intelligence to you. Pray, when you write to
Mrs. Walker, reraeraber rae very kindly to thera, and say how
happy I am at being able to send them such good accounts.'
'Moimenta da Beira : May 5, 1812.
' At the time I last accounted for myself at Castel Branco,
the Agueda seeraed to be so much in our interest, that we were
not without hopes of being able to bring Marmont to a stand,
for want of something better to do. But he built good bridges
(better, I think, than we should have contrived to make in
the sarae situation), and put on longer legs for the flight than
it would have suited us to adopt for the pursuit. He certainly
did some harm, and carried off, I believe, a great deal of
plunder; but did not desolate the country so much a la
Franqaise as we had reason to expect. And had he shown a
little raore enterprise in attempting, at least, to destroy our
bridge at Villa Velha, I should have thought his movement
able, and well conducted. In a military point of view, as it
was, he did us more injury than we had a right to calculate
upon, owing to the dastardly behaviour of ten or twelve
thousand Portuguese militia, posted at Guarda, under Trent
and Wilson, who ran away from about as many hundred
French, and opened the country behind, and our magazines at
Celorlco, to the Incursions of a few French highwaymen, who
chose to rob on that road ; and the consequence was, that we
found it necessary to destroy a very considerable magazine of
ammunition at Celorlco. It is a pity, I think, that the militia
should have been assembled in a body at Guarda : so many
ragamuffins were never, in this world, assembled together,
that they were not dispersed by panic, when called upon
to act. What do you think of our friend Vivez, and our
proteges at Rodrigo ? I think our pains have not been thrown

266 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
away here ; and the failure of the late French visit has made
them as much stronger In heart as we have made them in
rampart. ' Nothing could have happened more fortunately to give
confidence to a garrison just escaped from leading-strings.
' From Castel Branco our raarch has been directed through
Guarda and Trancoso to this place, within four leagues of
Lainego. We are here, with several other divisions of the
army, in the neighbourhood of our magazines ; while every
thing, I hope, is preparing for the recommencement of active
operations. In the whole course of our raarch from the
south, I recollect nothing so worthy of remark as the
variety of cliraate we have passed through in so short a space
of time, ' We crossed the Tagus In a tempest, and at Castel Branco,
I told you, the sun began to shine. At Alpcdrinha, I lay
under a tree all day, reading Ariosto, and the scenery about
me was alraost in reality what Ariosto fancied. At Guarda
and Trancoso I was pelted with hail and snow, and all the
artillery of winter ; and we have been enjoying all the luxuries
that an English or even Portuguese Noveraber can furnish
ever since we came here, I have thrown aside Ariosto, and
taken to Hudibras, till trees become shelter again,
' While I am writing there is a gleam of sunshine, and the
weather-wise tell us we shall broil directly. So rauch for
weather, in prospect and retrospect, To-raorrow, if possible,
I shall go to Lamego, and look at the Douro, This Is a new
country to a great many among us, and I believe our saoans
are very little orient'cs in It, Great part of it about our can
tonments is very pretty and well cultivated, and in a military
point of view particularly interesting.
' Yesterday I received very good accounts from Captain
Johnson, The General had not been so well sorae days before
he wrote, but he had recovered his lost ground, and there were
no fears entertained about hira : he was still at Badajos, I
do not know whether I gave you any account of poor Carleton
when I wrote last ; I ara afraid his will be a troublesome case.

iET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Go7nm. 267
He has been at Elvas for some time, and is going, I under
stand to Lisbon, and thence, I suppose, to England.
'Moimenta da Beira: May 12, 1812.
' Before I mount my horse, I write you two lines, to tell you
that it is for the purpose of setting out upon ray expedition to
the Tras-os-Montes,
' General Leith is gone to Lisbon, to visit Lady Augusta,
who is just arrived, and is very desirous that I should raake
myself acquainted with some of the country beyond the Douro
during his absence. So am I. People who know as little
about the raatter as myself, assure me I shall find the roads
very bad, and I believe them; but if they are sufficiently
good for my purposes, I raean to take the following course, I
pass the Douro to-day at Laraego, and the Serra de Marao and
the Taraeja to-morrow, at Araarante, I shall then proceed by
Guimaraes (faraous for plums) to Braga (famous for shawls),
and this part of ray tour cannot, therefore, fail to be interest
ing, I shall then go by the pass of Salamonde, famous for the
retreat of Soult, to Montdalegre and Braganza, and come
down the Douro from Miranda to Torre de Moncorvo, and so
home, ' This is a circuit of about a hundred leagues, which I allow
myself a fortnight to accomplish ; and this is, perhaps, raore
than I ought to allow myself, for the army will certainly be
in raoveraent the raoraent the raagazlnes at Almeida and
Rodrigo are coraplete,
' Tell Goully I should like to know where to inquire for
the winged horse that " 11 buon Rugglero " was used to borrow
when he visited foreign courts. But, wanting him, I shall take
two that are as light, and, what will perhaps be of raore con
sequence In this Instance, as sure of foot as most of those which
walk the earth,
' The weather, in which I am so much interested, is at length
settled, and I think I can depend on it,
' I do not promise to write to you while I am absent, but as
soon after my return as I can, I hope then to find several of

268 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
your letters in store, giving rae better accounts of Henry and
all ray old acquaintances. All the accounts of General
Walker continue as good as possible. Poor Carleton met with
an awkward accident the other day, but is doing well I hear.'
'Moimenta da Beira : May 18, 1812.
' In ray last letter I proraised to give you sorae account of
the country beyond the Douro, as soon as I had corapleted the
tour I was just setting out upon. I returned yesterday, very
well satisfied to find ray division sound asleep as when I left
thera. I propose being of the party Immediately, and you will
be in luck if you do not find me nodding before ray task Is
closed. I believe I furnished you with my route before I
started, but, like many other mighty undertakings, th« execu
tion has fallen short of the design ; not owing, however, to
any caprice of ray own, or to any insurraountable difficulties
that the face of the country presented to ray progress. On
consulting the raen of business at Laraego, I found our maga
zines would be completed earlier than I expected, and ray
division probably on the raove in an opposite direction by the
tirae I reached Braganza; and, panic-struck by this reflection,
I resolved upon taking the shortest line from Chaves home. I
crossed the Douro the day I wrote to you, and slept in the
heart of the great wine country, so Interesting to an English
man, and curious to visitors of all nations, who may not be so
much indebted to its produce as we are. The mountainous
banks of the Douro, terraced from the river's edge to the tops
of the highest hills, so that, as far as the eye can reach, in
whatever direction, nothing appears but one extensive vine
yard, and the rich and nuraerous villages and country seats,
which are the only interruption to this uniformity of scene for
many leagues above and below Regoa, were soraething entirely
new to me. Father Douro, too, whom the people reverence as
their Nile or Ganges, for the security he gives them against
invasion frora the north, I saluted as a venerable friend I had
raet some years before at Zaraora, Toro, etc. I found hira very
troublesome, however, for he came down full of the rains that

JET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 269
had been falling so plentifully before I began ray travels, and
the boats are so clumsily managed at this point, that I had
reason to fear my horses would have paid with their knees for
the introduction. If I took the river at its flood, I also took
the tide in my affairs at the same crisis, and went down with It
to Guimaraes, where I met, for the first time since his exalta
tion, with the Brigadier-General, Governor of the Minho, and
most Excellent Sir, whom I dare say you may recollect as
Major Wilson, at Wycombe, and a playfellow of raine. I
presumed a good deal upon the academical Introduction, and
surprised the ceremonious Portuguese by the liberties I took
with their general. He, on the other hand, raade everything
as pleasant as he possibly could for rae at Gulraaraes, It is
a delightful town, full of good society. In the raidst of a rich
and highly-cultivated populous country, where, whatever rals
chief the French did during their Invasion of the north, is
raade raree-show of, just as much as anything they may have
happened to have spared in other parts of the country. The
palace and castle of the first kings of Portugal are interesting
ruins at Guimaraes.
I fell in love with Amarante, and know not how I led you
on to Guimaraes without first singing its praises. The French
burnt the town, and it looks as If It had been done yesterday,
so irreparable is the mischief they did. But the Tamega
is still the most beautiful river in the world, at this spot, and
the woods which overhang It are only waiting for the year, to
recover their beauty and richness. Its bridge was defended
for fifteen days by Silveira and his peasantry, when Loison
came frora Oporto to invade the Tras-os-Montes. He suc
ceeded at last, and Silveira is Count of Amarante, for having
kept hira there so long. Wilson was on his way to Vianna
when I found him at Guiraaraes, and I accorapanled him
across the ridge of Falpeira, which, on my horses' account, I
should have wished otherwise employed, than in crossing my
way on this occasion, had it not placed at my feet the fine
town of Braga, and all the luxuriantly fruitful country sur
rounding it while it gave me besides an early intro-

270 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
duction to the Sierra of Gerez, and the endless chain of
mountains I was presently to become better acquainted with.
The magnificence of this scene will not quickly escape my
raemory. Braga Is one of the best and largest towns In
Portugal. The Archbishop assumes the title of Primate of
all Spain ; so does the Bishop of Toledo. I dare say the latter
could plead his own cause at horae better than they are at the
pains of doing it for him at Braga. The day of my arrival
happened to be the anniversary of a celebrated pilgrimage to
the altar of a handsome chapel in the neighbourhood, where I
was introduced to about forty thousand of the ugliest and best
dressed peasantry in the world. Wilson did not carry away
my fortunes with hira to Vianna, for the Governor of Braga, of
all people in the world, offered to escort me to Chaves, which
was his birth-place ; and on our way he showed rae how he
had fought his battle at the pass of Carvalho d'Este, where he
had detained Soult several days, when he first advanced into
the country. The spot has little of the raagic influence of
ThermopylEE or Marathon upon a traveller, but it was pleasant
to have its history frora such high authority, and from one
who, I ara certain, did his best under very difficult clrcura-
stances. If any one should talk to you henceforth about
visiting the Tras-os-Montes, whether he comes as a soldier or
an amateur, or both, send him to Salamonde and the Bridge
of Miarcla, and raake hira give you an account of the Cavado,
its valley and Its cataracts, and the Sierra of Gerez, overhang
ing it like a thunder-cloud. If he is rash, he will tell you all
about It ; for my part, I had rather say, " Go and see. " From
Rulvaes the road was long and dreary, till we descended into
the beautiful vale of Chaves. If I had not told you that the
Tamega was the raost beautiful river in the world at Amarante,
I should have said it was so at Chaves; and my friendly
governor was as delighted to point out to me the charms of his
native place as I was to acknowledge them. I returned by
the strong military posts and picturesque situations of Reggas
and Villa Maca, and paid my respects to the Count of Amar
ante, In his seat of governraent at Villa Real. From hence,

xi. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 271
to the Douro, I have already described the sort of country.
If the scenery about the Salamonde is a display of aU that is
magnificent in nature, the banks of the Douro present a
spectacle of opulence and industry hardly to be equalled. I
am extreraely happy that I have had it in my power to make
this little excursion, for besides the local information it has
put rae in possession of, the picture which these fortunate
provinces presented to me, on all sides, far exceeded my ex
pectation. So has the length of my story yours. I have no
doubt but I shall continue it, notwithstanding, till I have re
turned some sort of answer to a letter of yours that I found
on ray table when I came horae. All ray friends are raost
kind, and I shall grow very vain if these things are to happen
often Lady Malmesbury raakes me long already for such
another night as Badajos, and more mischievous if possible, so
that there is a chance of its being attended with such sacrifices
on my account. I am happy to hear from you that Henry is
getting rid of the pain In bis chest.
' Our poor General, I am very much afraid, has not been so
successful lately, but I trust there will be no reverse.
' General Leith is still absent from us, but we expect to be
on the move immediately. General Hill's feats at the bridge
of Alraaraz raust delight you all. I will write again when
we raove. In the meantime thank all my good friends very
kindly for the cares they have expressed on ray account.'
' Camp, Fuentes d Onor : June 10, 1812.
' The array Is asserabled here to-day, and raarches to
morrow in three columns upon Salamanca.
' The centre coluran is under General Leith, and, of
course, a world of care upon ray shoulders.
' We sleep to-morrow night upon the banks of the Agueda ;
on the 12th upon the Tenebron river; the next night upon
the Huebra ; and on Saturday wherever the French will
let us. ' The weather is such as Vulcan's smithy used to afford —
too hot for such as are jealous of their complexions, and for

272 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I812.
this reason we travel early, and go to bed in mid-day. We
are all well, however ; full of adventure ; and Rodrigo and
Almeida overflowing with our magazines. We shall be mis
chievous people as long as this Is the case.
' I am just returned from a very long ride to head
quarters, and very tired. You will be glad to hear that I had
better accounts than I expected of our poor General from the
chief of our Medical Department at head-quarters, and this is
the best and latest authority that can be consulted.'
' Camp on the Tormes, one league below Salamanca: June 19, 1812.
' I wrote to you the evening before the army broke up
from Fuentes d'Oiior. We have since continued our march,
as I gave you to expect, without Interruption, and entered
Salaraanca the day before yesterday. Marraont left It the
evening before with 9,00 '3 raen, taking the direction of the
Douro. They have been for some time busy In converting
convents In this town (such as would suit their purposes) Into
fortresses. One of these they have placed in a tolerable state
of defence, and have left 500 or 600 men In it as a garrison.
We have been raaking our preparations for the attack of it,
and frora the heaviness of the cannonade this raorning I take
for granted that our battery has opened. I ara going Into
town with General Leith as soon as I have finished this letter,
and shall not close it till the last moment, as I expect to be
able to give you a good account of our proceedings since yes
terday. These gentry give us a little trouble, but nothing
more ; however. It is not desirable that they should continue
in possession of the post they hold while the army advances.
' The 6th Division Is in town, and Is eraployed in this
service. The rest of the army Is encamped in front of the
town. The weather Is settled, and not very hot. Nothino'
can exceed the satisfaction of the people or the enthusiasm
with which they have received Lord Wellington In Salaraanca.
We have risen wonderfully in public opinion since we raade
our entry three years ago. The French have not scrupled to
destroy those parts of the town that Interfered with their plans

iET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 273
of defence ; otherwise they have done it no mischief. I shall
write to you as we move forward.
' I dare not tell you how far our expectations reach. We
have at this raoraent, I believe, 40,000 of the best infantry in
the world, and between 3,000 and 4,000 cavalry, flushed with
success, and fully supplied, I should think, with the raeans
necessary for enabling us to penetrate deeply into the country,
I do not believe Marraont will face us in the field with all he
can assemble on this side the Tagus, .. If so, our movement
will at least relieve the south, and we are allowing the Portu
guese all the while to make the most of their harvest. You
see I am at sorae pains to confine my views within the bounds
of sobriety. Poor Mr, Perceval ! ' Thank you for the circurn-
stances you relate to me respecting him. He was truly an
estimable raan, and he certainly left none behind him, whether
among his colleagues or competitors, so free from reproach,
whatever may be the qualities in which he Is to be outlived by
them, ' Camp before Salamfinca: Juqe 26, 1812.
' To this moment no opportunity has offered for sending off
my letter. Since I wrote it, Marmont has returned with the
whole of his force and has been manoeuvring In our front for
the last five days. He has 35,000 men within a league of us
at this moraent, and is expecting to be joined immediately
by 10,000 more under Bonnet, They say the King is coming
too. Our numbers will be as nearly equal as possible, and
the result of a pitched battle should be glorious to us. What
a raoraent of anxiety this is I But it is of a delightful kind,
for, believe me, it is tinctured with more of hope than of fear
as to the result of these operations. The whole army is in
position. The weather is still settled and not so hot as it
might be. You will hear the particulars of an unsuccessful
attempt to storm the forts in the town the other night. We
have not respected these works sufficiently hitherto, Henry
' On May 11, 1812, Mr. Perceval, the Prime Minister, was shot dead by an
assassin, as he was entering the lobby of the House of Commons.
T

2 74 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
will be distressed at hearing of poor General Bowes's fate. It
seems to have been decreed that he should die well, and no
sooner had he escaped one breach than his fortune led hira to
that iu which he fell. Although we expect to claim a large
share of interest among you at this moment, we are aware that
we are dividing it with others of our friends at a distance.
Soult is advancing with 25,000 raen upon General Hill, who
is waiting for hira in the position of Albuera, and it is likely
that the blow will be struck on both sides the Tagus nearly at
the sarae raoraent. On our side, I can assure you, we shall
have the hearts of a whole people fighting with us. Nothing
can exceed the enthusiasm with which we have been received
in Salamanca, or the confidence with which they look forward
to the approaching contest. Some skirmishing has taken
place since their armies have been in presence, but nothing
important,' • Fuente La Peiia : June 30, 1812.
' The forts ia the town of Salamanca fell into our hands,
I think, the day after I closed my last letter to you ; and the
French array was in raotlon the following morning in the direc
tion of Toro and Valladolid, We began our march yesterday, and
are now within five leagues of Toro, and eleven of Valladolid,
The order Is not yet given for the movement of to-morrow,
but it is likely, I think, that it will be in the direction of the
latter. The Frei^cb army will post itself behind the Douro,
from which situation I dare say we shall find means to dislodge
it. The people of the country receive us with enthusiasm as
we advance. We arrive in a happy hour.
' The harvest is ripening fast, and part of It getting in,
while I am writing, in this neighbourhood. Some advantage
has been gained over Bonnet In the north, and Soult has
retired from before Albuera, followed by General Hill.
' If we were not setting out with such prospects I should
regret leaving Salaraanca in such a hurry, for the people raake
theraselves very agreeable.'

iET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 275
' Torrecilla di Medina : July 7, 1812.
' Since I wrote to you last Marmont has crossed the
Douro, and we are preparing to do the sarae thing ; however .
as the French keep the opposite bank and beset the fords and
bridges, some arrangement Is necessary ; but I believe aU will
be ready for the passage of the river imraediately. The
country we are now making war in Is of as different a charac
ter from that we have for sorae tirae past been accustoraed to,
as the mode of warfare we are carrying on is new. It is a
rich, luxuriant country, covered with corn, and immediately
in this neighbourhood producing a quantity of excellent wine.
But the whole of Castile raay be called a perfect plain, in
common language ; very elevated, but scarcely a tree to be
seen, and water by no means In plenty. The villages are
numerous and large ; but an array situated as ours is at this
raoment must not inhabit them merely as a raeasure of conve
nience, so that our troops are exposed to as much sun and
dew as chooses to light on them. They are, however, healthy,
and do not appear to suffer as much as the doctors seera to
think they ought from such exposure. Araong our officers
the sandiness of the soil and constant glare are the raeans of
bringing a number of green shades into play. I have had no
temptation hitherto to have recourse to any such stratagem,
nor do I see the most distant prospect of such a necessity.
If there is any one thing that I have to tell you at this
raoment in the shape of ill news that I regret more than all I
could think of besides, it is that General Graham is no longer
among us. I went the other evening to Medina to take ray
leave of hira, and he is now on his way to Oporto, where he
intends to erabark for England. For sorae time past his eyes
have been seriously affected (not, however, I am afraid, in the
way which I have just been describing), and the mischief has
been so much increased by the interest he could not help
taking In all that has been going on lately, that It is feared not
all the skill of our countrymen will be sufficient to restore
them. One of them he is prepared to lose certainly. The
T 2

276 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
decline of such a man has something in it that makes one very
thoughtful. ' I hope I shall soon have to give you an account of our
operations beyond the Douro. I do not think the passage of
the river will be attended with much difficulty. I am anxious
to take a raore debberate view of Valladolid than it was well
in my power to take when I made my excursion there some
seasons ago, which you may recollect my having described to
you in some of my lucid intervals at Portsmouth. We have
now in our neighbourhood what has been a very fine town,
and there are few that I have ever seen bearing the traces of
departed splendour more than Medina del Campo. It is
faraous for having been the seat of one of the largest fairs in
Europe in the days of Charles V., and I believe later. But
now what was a parish Is represented by the ruins of Its church,
and so forth.
' I must add that whatever means you employ to send me
my letters, they are the very best possible. I can hear of
no one besides Lord Wellington and myself who have anything
to say to the last packet yet. Adieu.' ' Nova de Setraval: July 25, 1812.
• The battle of Salamanca has at length been fought, and
glorious indeed has been the result. When I wrote to you last
I believe Marmont had coraraenced his retreat to the Douro,
after the fall of the forts. He conducted it ably, crossing the
river at Toro and TordesvIUas, and we passed raany a tedious
day observing him from the left bank, but evidently without any
fixed intention of forcing the passage. At length he had collected
reinforcements enough to Induce hira to resurae the offensive,
and he crossed the river by an able manasuvre, threatening our
right flank, but still avoiding a battle, which was constantly
offered on our part ; forcing us, by this raeans, to conform to
his movement, and to recross the Torraes on the 21st, in order
to cover Salamanca, which was a scene of distress I have never
seen equalled ; considering Itself already In the hands of the
French, and preparing to pay the forfeit of all these rejoicings

ffii. 27.] Sir Willia7it Maynard Gomm. 277
which they had raanifested with so little reserve since their de
liverance out of the hands of the French. Still, they began
to recover frora their alarms, when on the morning of the 22nd
they saw the French columns forming, evidently for the pur^
pose of attack ; and our own line steadily preparing to receive
them. Not a soul ever doubted the issue of the contest, could
a battle be brought on; but it was feared, that If Marraont
continued to pursue the policy he had observed hitherto, he
might force us to withdraw from Salamanca, and lay it open,
at least, to Insult, If not to permanent possession of the French.
By mid-day, however, it appeared evident that he was medi
tating an attack upon us, and the expression was coramon in
the mouth of every one, " At length Marmont is going to give
us what we could hardly have forced from hira." His columns
were in motion on all sides, and his formidable artillery gradu
ally placed in position. He had, unquestionably, the advan
tage of the ground ; and for three hours before any raoveraent
of attack took place, our line was subject to the heaviest can
nonade I have ever been exposed to. Still, he showed no dis
position to bring his troops Into action ; and it seeraed as if he
raeant to conteut hiraself with the advantages he derived frora
the superiority of his cannonade ; and hoped to remove us by
its effect, before he risked his infantry. But Lord Welling
ton's plans were completed ; he was never greater than on this
day.' Like the Prince of Conde, he Is certainly greatest on
the day of battle. At three o'clock In the afternoon, he
ordered the line to advance and attack the French position.
Had an army risen frora the ground to attack thera, I cannot
conceive their surprise to have been greater. We had declined
acting on the offensive on so many more tempting occasions
than the present one, that it was evident they considered the
moment and mode of attack depended upon themselves.
' Never, I believe, was success anticipated to the degree
' Napier says : ' Waterloo may be called a more glorious exploit, because of the
great man who was there vanquished ; Assaye may be deemed a more wonderful
action ; but Salamanca will always be referred to as the most skilful of Welling
ton's battles.

278 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I812.
that it was in the English army when the advance was ordered.
Had an indifferent person (if such a one could be found) come
araong us at this moment, while the French were continuing
the heaviest of their cannonade upon us, and observed our
soldiers preparing for the advance, he would have said,
" Whatever these men are going to attempt, they must suc
ceed." The scene too was, of all others, the most animating.
The country was such that the fifty thousand raen of either
army could move in all directions, and from many points be
in view almost at the same moment. Salamanca, which, till
this moment, had considered itself sacrificed by the incautious-
ness of its conduct towards us, its supposed deliverers, was three
miles off, in full view of both armies ; and It overlooked us into
the French position, which was more elevated than ours. The
advance was, as Tasso describes It on another occasion : ' Ra
pido si, ma rapido con legge,' under the destructive fire of the
French artillery, which grew raore deadly as we approached it.
But the spirit of our people rose in proportion, and when they
reached the enemy's solid columns, which opened a fire like a
volcano upon them, there was not a raoraent's hesitation ; no
check along the whole line, but a general shout of exultation
was echoed from all quarters. The enemy wavered, retired
frora height to height ; till at length it was irapossible to with
stand the ardour of our soldiers, which seemed to increase with
every fresh assault, and complete rout ensued. As for Gene
ral Leith, he addressed the troops with the eloquence of a
Cfesar, before they advanced ; and he led them, like soraething
that had descended for a tirae to favour the righteous side ; and
had this even been so, the enthusiasm' excited could hardly have
been greater. We should have been too happy had he escaped
altogether ; but after the raost Important advantage had been
gained, he received a rausket-shot in the arra, which shattered
the bone ; and when he grew faint with loss of blood, I tied up
his arra as well as I could, and sent him in good hands to the
rear. He is since gone into Salamanca, and I rejoice to learn
that there is every prospect at present of saving his arm. I
am fond enough to look forward to the moment of his again

^T. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 279
heading us. I have told you on other occasions that if I had
any faith in sorcery I should Incline to think that I bear a
charmed life. But I do not thank Heaven with half so much
fervour for having suffered rae to pass without injury through
this day, as for having suffered rae to bear a part in raore than
one of the raost important of this day's feats. I believe the
division will be well spoken of. Lord Wellington followed it
with his eye frora the moment of Its advance till the crisis was
over, and then went elsewhere. I have only detailed to you
what happened araong ourselves ; on other sides the success
was equally brilliant, and the rout complete.' The loss of the
French is computed at present at twelve thousand in killed and
wounded, nineteen pieces of cannon, besides eagles and other
trophies, and their array is In coraplete rout at this raoraent.
The pursuit will continue to-raorrow. Who shall calculate the
consequences of this great battle ?
' Tell Henry I have received the things he seut rae quite
safe, and they are exactly what I wanted. I am hurried now,
but shall write to you again soon. Best love to aunt and
Goully. I know how anxious they will be to hear frora me.
Le Blanc and Dallas are well. I have treated you to a double
letter this time, but I thought the occasion deserved that. I
write as intelligibly as I ara able.'^
' Camp on the Cega, two leagues from Valladolid : July 31,1 812.
' Although I have every hope that this will not be the first
account you will receive frora me since our proceedings before
Salamanca — and little has occurred since this period that will
be interesting to you to learn — it is, however, a subject that
we are all fond of hearing ourselves talk upon, and are unrea
sonable enough to expect that a repetition of the story will
amuse our friends as everlastingly as ourselves. Soraething
new, however, I think I can tell you ; at least, I can give you
' The French had 44,000 men engaged, and lost 14,000 killed, wounded, and
prifoners. The loss of the allies was 5,200, of whom 3,176 were English.
^ In after life Sir William Gomm always said ' Salamanca was the prettiest
battle that ever was fought. The fifth division won it ; we turned the left flank of
the French under a hail of grape and canister.'

28o The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
a gratifying piece of intelligence, with more confidence than I
could have done in my letter written on the other side of
Peiiaranda. General Leith is surpassing our most sanguine
expectations in the proraise he is giving of a speedy recovery.
The bone is fortunately not injured, and there is every reason
to hope that he will experience neither stiffness nor other In
convenience frora the wound after it is once healed. At head
quarters they are full of his praises ; he was the Bayard or
Gaston de Foix of this battle, " the observed of all observers ; "
he threw a truly chivalrous spirit into all those who were about
hira. The wits say that while he was advancing he looked like
the presiding spirit of this tempest ; his division the thunder
cloud that he rolled after him ; and his staff were flashes of
lightning that he scattered about him. I believe I have told
you before that I ride a little horse they call " Phantom," from
the activity with which it flits about; although, on common
occasions, more, I think, in the style of Jack o' Lantern than
a flash of lightning ; and on this occasion I certainly gave him
his head pretty liberally. We are longing all of us to hear
from you In return for the details we have just sent home. I
shall grow thin if we are not kept in perpetual raotlon till that
tirae. The action of the body is certainly a relief to a restless
mind. ' We have been taking many prisoners since I wrote to you
last ; and it is generally supposed that the French loss owing
to this battle amounts nearly to twenty thousand men. Lord
Wellington was yesterday in Valladolid. The remains of
Marmont's array are raarching upon Aranda, where it is sup
posed they expect to give the meeting to Joseph Bonaparte,
with a force from Madrid. I think it probable we shall be of
the party. We march at three to-morrow raorning, I believe,
in that direction. Joseph will clear our way to Madrid, if he
waits for us, depend upon It. I want to write a great many
letters, but, kept so constantly moving as we are, I fear it will
be long before I shall accomplish my purpose.'

^;t. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm.

CHAPTER XIIL
1812.
Entry into Madrid — Enthusiastic Reception— Libutbnant-Colonel
FOR Salamanca -Burgos — Unsuccessful Siege — Terrible Retreat
—Nearly Drowned— Death of his Grandfather— Lamego— Sur
veying IN Tras-os-MontEs— Advance op the Army over Douro
to Vittoria.
'Madrid: August 14, 1812.
'Ask Goully whether I have not fulfilled, like a true
knight, the vow I raade to her sorae tirae since.
' Iraraediately after I wrote to you frora the neighbourhood
of Valladolid, the army marched upon Segovia and St. Ilde-
fonso, crossed the mountains by the Guadarrama and Nava-
cerrada passes, and on the 12th (the Prince's birthday) Lord
Wellington entered Madrid. Yesterday the whole army ar
rived in the neighbourhood, and to-day we are Investing the
Retire, which the French have strengthened, and occupied
in the same raanner as was done by the convent at Salamanca.
If I live a thousand years I shall never pass such another day
as yesterday, so full of delirium that the only assurance I have
this morning that it was not all a dream. Is that every one I
raeet has drearaed the sarae dream with myself; and I then
dispose myself to believe that all was real. God forbid that
anything which passed yesterday should lose its title to reality,
or that the constitution so soleranly proclaimed, so enthusiastic
ally received, should ever sink again into a mere narae. I am
afraid this will be a mad epistle, but I must write to you,
and if I write nonsense do not be alarmed; I shall probably
be better when I write again. If the brain was heated to
ecstasy yesterday, it Is pardonable that it should be a little
unnerved to-day ; it will recover its equilibrium by degrees ;

282 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
but yesterday was too rauch for one not Indifferent to what
greatly concerns a generous people. I believe Goully knows
Madrid ; ask her, then, what effect she thinks likely to
have been produced upon one entering Madrid for the first
time, loving the Spaniards as I do, glorying In their cause as
I do, at the very hour when the constitution was proclaim
ing with a pomp worthy the occasion ; and every loving soul
in Madrid cried, in the madness of their joy, " God save King
Ferdinand!" " Glory to the English nation ! " and saluting the
English as they entered the town with the fondness of idolatry.
I do not know who was profane enough to preserve his compo
sure throughout this cereraony, but I ara sure that a great raany
of us stood much in need of such a friend as the Roman general
used to carry about with him during his triuraph, and who re
peated every five rainutes the wholesorae admonition, "Re
raember thou art a raan." Madrid is a beautiful town ; we all
think we have seen nothing so finely connected in its buildings,
so uniformly good, anywhere. Magic seems to have had a
hand in providing it with at least half its population; but I
will give you a better description of it when I ara raore sober,
and have seen more. The attention we are obliged to give to
this Retire at such a moraent is extremely annoying. It Is
not of sufficient iraportance as a military object to counter
balance, in our own estimation at least, the privations it occa
sions us. We are now encamped about a mile and a half from
the town, having the Retiro between us and it.
' Our late rambles have been such as an amateur who came
for the sole purpose of seeing the country would have chosen
to follow, step for step. From Valladobd we visited the fine
town of Segovia ; the Palace, raagnificent, I raust call it, of
San Ildefonso ; the Guadarraraa Mountains ; the Escurial,
Madrid. How shall I trace out the future ? Aranjuez, Toledo ;
I should be sorry to fix a boundary to the araateur's exploits, yet
ray pencil is not bold enough to trace out for hira further at this
raoraent. A piece of singular good fortune, and in which the
amateur is generally raore favoured than we are who make a
military excursion, has been that we have had time allowed us

MT. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 283
to give to each of these objects the attention they merit ; unless
I must except Sau Ildefonso, for I should like to live there.
But we have the advantage over all the araateurs who have
ever gone before us, or perhaps of all who will ever follow us,
in a visit to these places, in that we have had the satisfaction
of driving before us as we entered thera a band of detestable
fellows, with the king of them at their head ; and this circura
stance has given us an additional pleasure In beholding them,
similar to that which one feels in beholding a beautiful and
valuable possession of one's own. The poor fugitive king (for
I believe he is not a bad man) marched frora Madrid in the
direction of Aranjuez with a few French and several thousand
Spaniards, who, if truly reported of, are at this raoment more
false to him than they have hitherto been to their country. I
hope I shall soon have to tell you of a Spanish army raised in
Madrid, in which the double obligation of patriotism and
loyalty will have a common object, not frightfully at variance,
as among the tribe I have just been talking of.
' ... If I get Into Madrid with this abominable Retiro
out of the way, there Is no knowing how far I raay transgress
rayself against the law of correspondence between you and rae,
and I shall therefore. In the true spirit of policy, refrain frora
passing any censure for what appears to rae your long silence.
Tell Goully I shall begin raaking fresh tours when I can
trust rayself; I should deserve to have ray wings clipped for
such as I should raake now. If I raade any. There are not
many Madrids, or I should write with more consideration both
for you and rayself; for writing paper has been very scarce
among us, and I learned the consequences that will result to
you from my extravagance in this particular.
' One o'clock. The Retiro has this raoraent surrendered,
and I ara going into Madrid. Adieu.'
Lord Wellington, in his despatch to Lord Bathurst of the
same day, says: —
' The army raoved forward yesterday morning, and its
left took possession of the city of Madrid, the king having

284 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I2.
retired with the Army of the Centre by the roads of Toledo
and Aranjuez, leaving a garrison in the Retiro.
' It Is impossible to describe the joy manifested by the
inhabitants of Madrid upon our arrival, and I hope that the
prevalence of the same sentiments of detestation of the French
yoke, and of the strong desire to secure the Independence
of their country, which first Induced them to set the example
of resistance to the usurper, will Induce them again to make
exertions in the cause of their country, which, being raore
wisely directed, will be more efficacious than those formerly
made. ' The heavy guns with which we took Salamanca are in
the rear of the army, and I hope we shall not find it difficult
to take the Retiro, but I believe th'at we raust break ground
before the place.'
On the following day, August 15, 1812, Lord Wellington
wrote announciuff that the grarrison of the Retiro surrendered
by capitulation yesterday. He says :—
' We invested the place corapletely on the evening of the
13 th ; and the troops were preparing to attack the works
fireparatory to the arrangeraents to be adopted for the attack
of the interior lines and building, when the governor sent out
an officer to desire to capitulate, and I granted him the
honours of war — the baggage of the officers and soldiers of
the garrison, etc. — as specified In the agreement.'
There were found in the Retiro 189 pieces of brass
ordnance in excellent condition, 900 barrels of powder, 20,000
stand of arms, and considerable magazines of clothing, and
provisions, and ammunition. The eagles of the 13th and
51st Regiments, which were also found there, were sent by
Lord Wellington to H.R.H. the Prince Regent,
' The Escurial : August 21, 1812.
' , , , They have taken care for the present that Madrid
shall not be our Capua, and have quartered four divisions of

iET. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 285
us in and about this very large house ; two divisions still con
tinue in the neighbourhood of Madrid, We expect to remain
in this situation a few days longer; there is no chance of our
repose being disturbed. The French are making sorae trifling
movements in the North : the king is raarching towards
Valencia, I shall tell you more of our movements or amuse
ments when I write again,'
On August 17 Gomm was promoted to be a lieutenant-
colonel, ' Quintana del Pueute near Palenzuela: September 13, 1812,
' Need I tell you that the circumstance most gratifying to
me attending ray late promotion has been the sensation it has
excited among my friends, and that their expressions of this
feeling Is to me the raost valuable trophy I could have derived
frora these late adventures. Tell Goully I would not ex
change her laurel leaf for all the gilded boughs that are to be
purchased between Cintra and the Pyrenees ; and assure ray
cousin ' that no letter could give me half the delight his has
given me, for I believe hira to be the most excellent raan in
the world, and I value his benediction more than if it fell from
the richest mitre in Christendora.
' I assure you, ray dear Sophia, your letter brought me the
first tidings of the particular mention made of rae by Lord
Wellington to the Duke of York. I was not altogether un
prepared for the step of promotion, because Lord Wellington
has already shown rae raany marks of favour ; and on every
public occasion General Leith, with the liberality natural to
him, has given me the whole weight of his influence ; but I did
not expect that on a day when the spirit of chivalry seemed to
animate all ranks, anything that it fell to my lot to take part
in should have been attended by so enviable a distinction.
' Indeed, Lord Wellington is sadly In advance with rae ;
and, believe rae, I am conscientious enough to feel sensibly the
magnitude of the debt I owe, but I will discharge it by the
' Rev. William Gomm of Bramdean.

286 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [18I2.
best exertions I am capable of; and it is in my power at least
to show that I acknowledge the debt.
' You know " Homer " was the book I learnt to spell from,
and I do not recollect any part of his precepts that I have sub
scribed so heartily to frora the moment I understood them as
those contained in Sarpedon's speech to his friend Glaucus (I
think in the 12th "Iliad") beginning with, "Why boast we,
Glaucus, our extended reign ? "
' A raan who has just given the go-by to a few hundred
majors had better adopt these sentiments with all expedition
if he means to be borne with at all. My friends are all too
kind to me ; and if I were not well on my guard against Lady
Malmesbury and sorae others, I should be terapted to think
that what I have just obtained is In recorapense for something
done rather than a pledge for something to be done. ... It
is beautifully told of Eparalnondas that he declared half the
pleasure he derived frora his victory at Leuctra was In the
reflection that the news of It would delight bis aged mother.
And I can understand something of this feeling frora the satis
faction I rayself experience in the consciousness that ray
fortunes are Interesting to so raany venerable and respected
friends. ' I had a letter frora Godwin at the sarae time that your
second batch of congratulations reached rae ; I rejoice that I
had written to him some days before this ; I told him I hoped
soon to hear from you that you and he were great cronies. I
hear his wife is delightful.
' My railltary news is very little. I think I wrote last
frora the Escurial. We have since driven the reraains of
Marraont's army through Valladolid, and are now within ten
leagues of Burgos, which we shall presently take. We are
waiting for 12,000 Spaniards who are in the neighbourhood,
and who will co-operate with us. We are uncertain about
Soult's movements ; he will either retire the whole French
army behind the Ebro, or fight us In a general battle near
Madrid.'

jsi. 27.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 287
'Burgos: September 21, 1812.
' I prepared you In ray last letter for an attack upon the
castle of this place. We are now busily eraployed In It.
' The night before last the principal outwork was carried
by assault, and our whole attention Is now directed against the
body of the castle. It is strong, and I believe sufficiently
garrisoned with a powerful artillery. The 1st Division only
are employed at present In the business of the siege. The
remainder of the army are in observation and Investing the
town. The French army have withdrawn to the Ebro, in the
direction of Vittoria. This Is the state of affairs in our neigh
bourhood. Soult appears also to be directing his march
towards the Ebro. The raising of the siege of Cadiz and
capture of Seville, alone are Important circumstances.
' General Leith, I hope, is doing well, but he is gone to
Lisbon, and I fear we shall not see hira with the array for
some time. I regret it exceedingly, for I value bis single
presence at 10,000 men in any field. In the meantime, we
are commanded by a man who is liked by all the world in
private life, and respected by no one in public. Adieu.'
'Hurones: October 9, 1812.
' I have written a long story since we came before Burgos,
and I dare say it raay have helped to explain to you how
we are situated before this reaches you. I cannot give you a
very favourable account of our proceedings hitherto. Our
loss is considerable ; and if we succeed In the end, it will be
because we do not intend to fall in anything we undertake, for
I cannot help thinking we have set to work idly, and without
half the means we might have commanded. Begging ray
Lord Wellington's pardon, I think we have not respected the
castle of Burgos sufficiently.' The 1st and 6th Divisions and
' The correctness of this view is indisputable ; for after five assaults, the
English army were obliged, on October 21, to relinquish the siege of Burgos,
which had been so ably and successfully defended by the dauntless General Du
Breton. It was after the last and again unsuccessful assault that Lord Wellington
wrote to Brigadiei>General Pack : ' I am sorry to say that I am afraid that I shall
be obliged to give up our position here. As soon as you shall receive this letter

288 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
some Portuguese brigades are the only troops employed In the
siege. The 5th and 7th Divisions have remained in position
on the Vittoria road. The French array have received some
reinforceraents, and seera to be Inclining to our right. There
are reports that Massena has resumed the command. The
weather is breaking, and the troops have been very sickly,
but they are less so at present. The country about Burgos
is naked, bleak, and ugly ; the villages poor, and suffering
much from the French ; the town itself large, but not hand
some. I have seen nothing worth remarking In it but the
very ancient cathedral and the torab of the Cid and Chiraene.
' The Cid was born In this neighbourhood, and his remains
are preserved in a monastery at Lardena, a league from
Burgos, where a handsome monument was raised to his raemory
by Philip V.
' When the French began their depredations in Spain, the
convent was destroyed ; but General Thiebault, then Governor
of Burgos, respecting the meraory of the Cid, conveyed his
ashes and all that had beeu done in honour of hira to the
town, and the monuraent now stands in a conspicuous situation
close to the public walks, and everyone goes to look at it.
' We hear the Arch Sorcerer has beaten the Russians
through Moscow, after a great battle. We expect a mail
you should send off the baggage, and then march with the troops under jour
command.' The original order from the Quartermaster-General, dated that same day, is
amongst Sir William Gomm's papers. It is as follows : —
'The olh Division and their guns are to march by their left this evening as
soon as it becomes so dark that the movements cannot be seen by the enemy.
The above mentioned troops are to proceed by Quintana Duenas to Villalon — ¦
thence by Badajos across the Urbal river, where they are to halt. Lieutenant-
Colonel Gomm is to conduct the column. The two Spanish divisions to follow
the 5th Division with their artillery.
' Lieutenant-Colonel Gomm to place the above troops in column of battalions as
soon as they arrive on their ground ; he will take care that these orders are duly
communicated to the Spanish division. Care must be taken to make fires pre
viously to their march. (Signed) J, H. Gordon, Q.M.G.'
If was then that began the disastrous retreat to the Portuguese frontier, in
which the loss of the Allies is put down at 9,000, with a largo quantity of baggage.
This disaster raised a loud cry of dissatisfaction in England against thearmy and
its generals, in which the previous successes and victories were forgotten.

MT. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 289
hourly, which I trust will set us at ease about this report.
We have received the English accounts of our entering
Madrid. ' Sir Howard Douglas has just left us, proposing, I believe,
to return to England imraediately. He grew tired of his
Corunna raisslon, and has been at headquarters for sorae time.
I hardly know what he would be at, but he is certainly shut
out for the present from the situations he seems desirous of
fining. He has certainly a great deal of talent, science, and
activity of raind, and a considerable share of aHibltiqn ; but I
do not think he will ever shine in public life, political or
military,' ' Camp opposite Tordesilla : November 1, 1S12.
' Since I last wrote to you a great deal has happened that
I should have been glad to have given you an earlier account
of, but I have scarely time now to do raore than account to
you for our being here. The Inadequacy of the means with
which we attacked the castle of Burgos allowed the French
armies of the north, time to assemble and reorganise a sufficient
force to induce them to assume the offensive,
' In consequence, the siege was raised on the night of the
21st, and the retreat upon Valladolid commenced. We have
had some fatiguing raarches, and bad weather. Yesterday the
whole array assembled here. The French are manoeuvring on
the right bank of the Douro, which is very rauch swollen with
the rains. In the raeantirae. General Hill has been crossing
the Guadiana, and I believe is this day at A^'evalo ; Soillt»
therefore, in Madrid gonie days since ! The Gazett^e will
make you acquainted with the particulars of a heavy day the
5th Division passed at the Bridge of YWIsl Muriel on the 25th,
We lost nearly 600 men, but did, I believe, all that was
expected of us. Poor Madrid I I tremble for the next
accounts from this quarter, I have not strength of mind nor
temper enough to look calmly into the strong military reasons,
which undoubtedly exist, for our making this great sacrifice ;
and he is possessed of an enviable coraraand over himself, and
a short memory, who does not feel this necessary desertion of
u

290 The Earlier Letters' and Journals of [1812,
Madrid as something nearly approaching to a heavy domestic
misfortune, ' Madrid deserves a better fate,
' I am not merry to-day, and I dare say you vtdll perceive
it ; I shall not drawl on any longer,
' I trust that a great battle will shortly set matters to rights
among us,' 'Ituero: November 22, 1812.
' When I last wrote to you from Salamanca, the French
array were crossing the Tormes, and I told you we were pre
paring to make a corresponding movement. We crossed the
river immediately, and continued our march towards Rodrigo,
The weather, which had favoured us since we left Burgos, and
particularly while we were In position before Salamanca, now
took a decided turn, and during the last five days of our march
the rain fell in torrents; so that we waded with difficulty
through rivers where scarcely the trace of a watercourse was
observable when we came up the country. Our retreat has
been all along raore a measure of policy than of necessity,
and It wore this appearance tiU we left Salamanca. The
array was halted and the eneray offered battle as often as it
was found necessary to rest the troops. But during the last
few days it revived many recollections of the dreadful race to
Corunna. ' In some respects the hardships were greater, for on that
occasion the troops were generally under cover, such as It was,
during the night; but here the only resting-place, after a day
spent as I have just described, was a bleak, swampy plain,
with more temptation in It to watch than sleep, and to look out
with impatience for the break of the following raorning. I am
perfectly well, but I have seldom been more harassed than
during this period, although my share has been small in com
parison with that of raany others. Lord Wellington's has
been the greatest, although he did not sleep out at nights. I
have seen something of him during these proceedings, and more
to admire in him than ever. His temper, naturally hasty,
seemed to grow more calm as that of the weather rose, but it

iET. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 291
was a calmness that indicated elevation rather than depression
of spirit. He is eminently gifted with all sorts of great quali
ties. His retreat bos been raasterly ; he has withdrawn the
army upwards, I believe, of 200 railes, the greater part of the
time before a superior force, which has never once found hira
In a situation to atterapt anything serious, except upon the
Carrion, where they failed ; and he has reached the point upon
which, frora the beginning, he directed hiraself, with his array
unbroken, except by the eleraents and their own indiscipline.
Lord Wellington is so truly great that any attempt to palliate
or conceal what appears to a comraon observer a railltary error
or weakness, is a tenderness that he raay readily dispense with ;
and I hope bis biographer will deal raore justly, both with the
world and himself. In the meantirae I will say, that frora the
moment the siege of Burgos Castle was seriously undertaken
it. has always appeared to rae that there was raore of fondness
than firmness, or even obstinacy, in the conduct of an enter
prise which all the world saw (and it is absurd to suppose that
he himself did not see) was entered upon with means inade
quate, and carried on, certainly, many days after the success
of it was more than doubtful. Yet he who coraraents upon
these proceedings will do well, in ray raind, should he censure,
as Lord Chesterfield does, after drawing a picture of Lord
Bollngbroke : " When we contemplate this subject, what is it
that we can say but, alas, poor huraan nature ! " — to censure
less generally, would be to treat bis subject lightly.
' Once more I am surprised in the raiddle of ray letter by
receiving one from you: it is of October 19, and makes me
most happy in the accounts it brings rae of Henry. The
Count's news, public and private, gives rae great satisfaction.
If the Russians continue where they are we shall be in Madrid
in the early spring. At present our quarters are not very
sumptuous, but I believe it is the jntention to send us, in the
course of a few days, Into the valley of the Mondego,'
Gomm's letters during that most trying and disastrous re
treat were, of course, very few and far between ; nor was it
his role ever to harass the feelings of his aunt and sister with
u2

292 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1812.
any unnecessary dwelling upon the inevitable horrors of war,
which are seen at their very worst during a retreat ; and cer
tainly the histories of the war assure us that no one of these
horrors was wanting on the occasion of the retreat from Burgos,
All is, however, lightly and uncomplainingly passed over by
Gorara, though his share of the anxieties and fatigues could,
considering his position, have been no raean one. In a memo-
randura written by hira some years afterwards he says : ' Here
be some scraps of reminiscence, more or less pugnacious, of
years long gone by ; but certainly the most nervous passage
of the whole series of so-called adventure brought to mind
remains yet unchronicled, viz., the conducting by the writer in
his capacity of assistant quartermaster-general of two divisions
of the army by fords across the Arlanzon river, the road to
thera lying raidway between the castle of Burgos — the siege of
which we were secretly abandoning by night — and the relieving
French array, whose carap fires were in view, and over some
railes of waste country, trackless, save by private landmarks of
his own previous establishing. Colonel Pringle, the worthy
comraandant of the large force comraltted to his safe keeping,
frequently rode up and assailed him with the question, " Now,
Gomm, are you sure you are right ? " to which he received for
answer, " So far, sir, I believe I ara; but I am pretty sure I
shall lead you all wrong presently, if not let alone," The
anxious night resulted In the coluran being led neither into the
French lines op the right nor up to the castle walls, but siraply
to the ford so eagerly sought for, as light strengthened. The
precaution had been taken of rauffling the gun-carriage wheels
In straw ; am! It was not till later, when the galloping of sorae
guerilla horsemen attracted notice, that the French opened a
heavy fire upon their retreating foe. The quartermaster-
general's department throughout this great war had duties of
a very high £|,nd grave order thrust upon it, with propor
tionate responsibility, of which the above little narrative
furnishes a sample.'
It was during this terrible retreat that Gomm had another

^i. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 293
of his hairbreadth escapes, but this time the eneray at whose
hands he suffered was not the French array, but a river in flood.
Amongst his papers is an old, stained, folded Spanish raap, on
to which is pinned a memorandura, written by him in later
years : ' This crumpled morsel of map was all but drowned
with me in the Duero while treasuring ray sabretache in wear,
during my attempt to ford the river when at its height, pre
liminary to escorting my division of the army over it when
marching upon Valladolid in 1812. I raissed the ford, and my
horse, aided by the element, summarily decanting me from its
saddle In mid-streara, wisely fought bis way back solus to the
shore just left, the violence of the current hurrying me the
while to that opposite ; and there stood at gaze, ponderingly,
till assistance came up and reunited us. The ford was a
sufficient one, but zigzaggy, or rather curvllineal. III to be
traversed unattended by local pilotage, and none such was at
hand on this memorable occasion.'
In another memorandum on the subject he says : ' The
division had scarcely halted on the high ground close to
Boecillo, when an officer despatched by Colonel Gordon gave
me notice that I was required to attend iraraediately at a large
house he pointed out to receive orders for the division. I raade
all expedition to the point, and received orders, written by my
self In pencil and signed by Colonel Gordon, which were to be
carried Into effect Immediately upon my return to the division 5
but he desired me before I returned to go down to the ford to
reconnoitre and pass it^ It was then that my horse and I got
separated In the raanner described above. My horse was
stopped by Capt. Gledstanes, and I from the other bank ex
plained to hira the substance of the now washed-out written
order, and urged hira to make all haste back to my column,
which, until his arrival, would remain in perfect ignorance of
the movement intended. Au officer of Colonel Ponsonby's
brigade afterwards came down to the ford, which by that time
I had examined, and I directed him where to cross : he did so,
and brought my horse with him. I then made all speed back

294- The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
to my division, which I found In movement, I explained to
General Pringle particularly how it was that I could not de
liver the written order, and he was kind enough to say that
he understood the order as I had delivered it ; and on Lord
Wellington subsequently sending for me to know what had
caused the delay of the advance of the column, I explained the
above circumstances to him,'
Had Captain Gledstanes not come up just at the time, some
serious mishap raight have arisen from this adventure, for on
the order he was bringing depended the movement of the whole
division, 'Lamego: December 28, 1812.
' Our march from the neighbourhood of Rodrigo, and em
ployment some days after our arrival here in settling the troops
in their cantonments, may help to account for my unusually
long silence,
' The army will most probably continue in quarters for a
couple of raonths longer,
' We are at present in very good quarters, and close to our
stores, so that it is presumed we shall grow fat. There are
some pleasant families in the town and neighbourhood, who
pay us attention enough to raake us also grow saucy, I shall
endeavour to get a glimpse of Oporto before we leave this part
of the world. I hope you have all been enjoying yourselves
lately, as we have been doing, and still continue to do here :
ours is a long, but not therefore tedious Christmas. The
weather, which has been till lately all rain, has changed Into
frost, and promises a continuance. I dare say you are all
anxious to hear what Lord Wellington's visit to Cadiz will
produce. We are equally anxious for a confirmation of all
the good reports we have from England on Russian affairs, and
more good reports.' 'Lamego: March 14, 1813.
' My Dear Aunt, — I received several days ago your
letter, bringing me an account of my grandfather's death.
Though circumstances have never perraitted me to know him

JET. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 295
whom I addressed by that title, still the name Grandfather is
so intimately blended with sacred recollections, and confers
such a distinction upon whomsoever it belongs to, that I do not
learn the account of his death without rauch concern, and a
feeling of regret that I should never have known hira,
' All that you have done in consequence of this event I
should offer you ray thanks for. If you had not spoiled rae long
ago, and taught rae to look upon all you do whenever the
occasion offers, as belonging to the class of good offices we are
in the common course of things to expect from an aunt ; and
it is not till I have made the rest of the world pass In judg
ment that I find out that I have either been raising ray standard
of merit Imperceptibly, or the world has been falling off In
worth, which I am not Inclined to believe.
' I understand perfectly your expose of the state of my
affairs, and ara fully satisfied that what you have been doing
is the best that could have been done In such a case. If you
have occasion to communicate again with Mr, Jordan, pray
thank him for the attention he has given to my business ; but
I wish you would particularly express to Mrs, Southwell how
sensible I am to the interest and friendship with which she has
taken ray part In that quarter.
' With regard to the slaves, I do not understand much
about the business. Wisdora cures, us of a legion of false
delicacies, and If I followed ray taste in this raatter I should
very likely seera what Is called romantic, which is not reputable
nowadays. In fact, I know so little about the matter that I
might be doing rauch harm where I intended to do most good,
which would be silly enough ; so that things had better go on
as usual In these cases.
' The army will move, I should think, In less than a raonth.
' I have not heard frora Henry for sorae days, but I shall
provoke him immediately.
'I long to hear from Sophia or yourself every day till
something is settled about her. Adieu, ray dear aunt. Best
love to the girl and Goully, — Ever most aftectionately yours,
' Wm, Gomm,'

296 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I813.
To his Sister. 'Lamego: April 11, 1813.
* I no sooner begin to repent me of having lost so many
moments since my return from Oporto, which might have been
eraployed in writing to you, than I receive an order from head
quarters to proceed Immediately to the Tras-os-Montes, to
reconnoitre a district of country through which It is probably
intended part of the army should advance into Spain. I shall
set out to-morrow, and expect to be eraployed about a/ortnight
on this tour. I am rather nervous about the weather. This is
the first day of rain we have had for a long time, and I shall
be agreeably surprised if it Is not succeeded by a few more of
the sarae complexion. One who Is pondering upon the pros
pects of a mountainous journey must be forgiven if he should
not seem very feelingly alive to the interests of a whole country
when they clash so rudely with his own as In the present
instance. ' I like Oporto rauch. I saw it at an unfavourable mo
ment. There are few amusements goinof on during: Lent.
Englishmen like it better than other places because people
conform raore to their own habits there than elsewhere. You
will all be happy to hear that Henry has a prospect of soon
becoraing eldest major of his regiment. I dare say, however,
he has already told you this.
' I have Ilerries with me : the fates have lately come to a
resolution (which I cannot too much applaud) of allotting a
deputy to each quartermaster-general of a division ; and he
volunteered to corae to mine, much to my satisfaction, for you
know we are very old cronies.' 'Lamego: May 1, 1813.
' Your letter of April 3 reached me some days ago, while I
was on ray expedition. I, however, delayed answering it till
my return to Lamego, not so much on account of the pressure
of business, as that I thought my communication with Lisbon
from hence would be more certain than frora the quarter I was

iET. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 297
then in. Touching my negligence in writing to you about the
time you mention, I cannot help making an observation which
never occurred to me before, but which will certainly go rather
to strengthen your accusation than my defence ; and it is, that
my share of the correspondence which has subsisted between
you and me this many a day has most unworthily arrogated to
itself a prerogative which seeras to belong exclusively to history
— that of preserving a dead silence when there is no ralschief
to be told ; for If it is true that history is little else than a
catalogue of the vices and follies and the raisfortunes of man
kind, it is no less certain that ray epistolary muse is most on
the wing in turbulent times ; and as there Is a chasm in the
history of the Assyrian monarchy of some six or seven hundred
years, which nobody has hitherto been able to fill up — perhaps
because that people enjoyed more happiness, or at least more
tranquillity, during that than any former or after period — so
it Is that there is a gap of as raany weeks in ray story with you
only because we had been lying so long idle at Lamego. I,
however, was not idle during this period, although I ara very
sure my attention would often have been better directed had
it been employed in answering your letters than in the
business I was then upon.
' In the letter I wrote you just before I crossed the Douro
I said I expected to be absent about a fortnight ; I have, how
ever, found eraployraent for nearly three weeks. The weather
was invariably fine till the last three days of my pilgrimage,
during which the elements seem to have come to a resolution
to drown me and my horses, but we always escaped with a
ducking; so that far from finding ray employment irksome, I
enjoyed it ; and it became so much the more interesting from
the probability of my being shortly called upon to lead my
flock in the same direction.
' The mountaineers are a kind people, and there are some
" happy valleys " as unconnected with the great world, and
almost as inaccessible, as that in which the " Father of Waters "
begins his course, and that have not suffered so much alarm for
many a day, as when I held out to them the prospect of my

298 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
being shortly forced to conduct a band of locusts over their
possessions. ' I ara talking to you about our preparations for a cam
paign, but the most turbulent spirit araong us cannot desire
anything raore severe than that which you appear to be entering
upon. You are right, ray dear Sophia ; 1 long heartily to come
araong you, but I feel It will not be till all is settled in this
country. The array is fully equipped, and Its losses repaired,
and I think It is fully equal to its purpose. We shall probably
have enough to do, but go sorae distance to seek it. Part of
the army, including this division, will perhaps cross the Douro
here, and raarch through the mountains upon Zamora and
Valladolid. I shall like it, for the beaten path is rather a
tedious one. We hear Sir James Leith is coraing out imme
diately. I have not seen very late papers, but I understand
he has had many compliments paid him, exclusive of the
Ribbon. . I am very happy it is so, for they cannot honour
hira too highly. We raay say of him as Junius does of Lord
Chatham : " It is a noble plant, and well able to support the
honours which adorn it." I have written to Henry, and told
him all you say about his step in the regiment : it gave me
great pleasure to hear of it, for he now stands upon firm
ground, come Peace when she will.
' I do not know how it may be with you, but this is not the
flowering May raorning with us that the poets are wont to hail
so luvltingly, but more like wizened Noveraber. The rain
coraes late ; but the country requires it, and, as my journey is
over, I join chorus in bidding it welcome.
' We have just received accounts from Valencia, stating that
Suchet has raade an unsuccessful attack upon General Murray,
and been forced to retire with considerable loss, followed by
the latter.
' I received a letter from Sir Howard in company with your
last. I had written to him, thanking him for all he had done
about Broughton : he Is always very kind. Poor Lady
Douglas is not well : she does not deserve such crossings as
she has been subject to lately.'

Mc. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 299
'Lamego: May 13, 1813.
' We cross the Douro to-morrow, and proceed through
Villa Real, Mur9ia, and Mirandela to the neighbourhood of
Braganza, where we expect further instructions. The 1st
Division follows us, and great part of the cavalry march upon
our flank. It is jdeasant to find one's labours turned to sorae
account ; and I believe this will be the case with ray late
reconnaissance, for I believe there will be no part of it that
will not be acted upon. We shall border upon the impossible
on several occasions before we reach the frontier, and I ara in
hopes I shall raake ray guns carry their point against the
opinions of .all the wise men of the province.
' I ara glad we are moving, for I have had hard work to
keep off the attacks of ague since I have been here. He
may be a troublesome partisan, but no general, for he might
have attacked me upon rauch better ground on other occa
sions — In Walcheren, for Instance.
' The weather is favouring us. The rains have ceased
for several days, and I ara in hopes I shall find my mountain
torrents dwindling fast into murmuring strearas. We shall
start the French from Salamanca by this raoveraent, and, I
should think, frora all the country on this side Burgos.
' I have written to Henry, giving hira an account of our
movements. I have not had his answer yet. I should think
he will belong to the column that marches by Rodrigo and
Salamanca. ' I have just been interrupted by an officer, artilleryman
by trade, who tells rae, looking very significantly, that he Is
told the roads are very bad on the other side the water.
These people are as nervous about their guns as the people
they fire at are about their shot.
' Thank you for the present of tea you have sent rae ; it is
very acceptable. You ask what you shall send rae whenever
an opportunity offers ; but it would be whirasical in me to
propose anything, for we are well supplied here with all the
necessaries of life, and for the luxuries I had much rather
wait and share them with you all one day.

3CO The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
' I shall write to you again when we are over the moun
tains, which will be about the 24th. TeU aunt I hope Fritz
has by this time joined the Russians. She inquires about
the Prince of Orange ; nothing can be raore kind than his
behaviour whenever we raeet. I have not mentioned him
lately, not having been in the way of seeing him since the
army carae into quarters.
' Remeraber me to the Douglases when you raeet with any
of thera ; I shall not write to Sir Howard till we reach
Braganza.' 'Outeiro: May 24, 1813.
' We reached this place yesterdayj guns and all. My
guns behaved very well, but their officers required more
driving than their horses ; and had I not been raore interested
than they in the success of the enterprise, there was, on more
occasions than one, opposition enough to have turned an
obstinate man frora his opinion. The weather fought against
us at the beginning, but it is now settled summer, and we
shall fry for the next five months. We halt here to-day
and to-morrow, and then make four days' raarch to Losilla, a
place about a league on this side the Esla, and five from
Zaraora. ' There are fl, few thousand French beyond the Esla, and
Zaraora is garrisoned. We have four divisions of the army
in this neighbourhood, and a large body of cavalry. A
battering train will be with us directly. The French cannot
hold Zamora long. Henry must certainly be with the Sala
manca coluran. I have not heard frora him very lately. I
dare say his division had moved before ray letter could have
reached Rio Torto, in which I apprised him of our move
ments. I am expecting a letter frora you.
' A raail has arrived, but we have not yet received half
the letters that are due to us, although I dare say we shall
get thera before we leave this.
' I have had no time to devote to ague since I last wrote
to you, and it has deserted me like sea-sickness after one
reaches the shore.

^t. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 301
' I shall ride over to Braganza to-raorrow If there Is
nothing to do. I have rather a curiosity to see It'

'Medina de Rio Seco : June 5, 1813.
'You see we have been walking through the country
without interruption since I last wrote to you, and I think
are likely to continue doing so till we reach the Ebro. The
whole army is on this side the Duero, and, including the
Spaniards, we are advancing with a force little short of a
hundred thousand raen. The French can oppose nothino'
like this to us until we reach the Ebro. You will have seen
how rauch we were in the dark about the raoveraents of the
7th Division when I last wrote. I had a visit frora Henry
the other day ; he was encaraped a few railes from us. He
is very well, and growing fat for want of work. To-day he
must be several leagues from us We compose part of the
left column, under the Immediate coramand of Sir Thomas
Graham. Next to Lord WelUngton's self, there Is no one
who will take so good care of us. He is looking remarkably
well, and, although he has not quite recovered the use of his
sight, there are no fears entertained of his suffering in this
respect from fatigue. We shall raove to-raorrow in the direc
tion of Valencia.
' I have just heard that Sir Jaraes Leith has landed at
Lisbon, and means to join us Imraediately. I need not tell
you It gives rae great satisfaction, On the subject of snuff,
tell aunt that it has nearly the sarae attraction for rae that
Falstaff describes rebellion to have had for Percy, " It lay in
his way, and he found it ; " but I should Uke to know how
she found out that snuff had any charm for me.
' The people of this town have received us most graciously.
For want of soraething else to do, we have been laying our
selves out a good deal for receiving the compliraents of the
season ; and we find it such a favoured spot by nature, that it
almost tempts one seriously to think the Spanish women grow
handsomer every year.'

302 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
'Sotresgudo: June 12, 1813.
' The army halts to-day. Our column is within one day's
march of the Ebro, the head-quarters at Castrojeriz. The
7th Division are too much to the right for Henry's con
venience and mine. We have not met since I last wrote to
you. We have had some bad weather since we left Rio Seco,
and I am afraid we have not yet got rid of it. I hope you
will admire in England the rapidity vath which we have
brought 80,000 men to the banks of the Ebro,' in the face of
about as many French, somewhere to be found, they say, but
we know as little where, I believe, at present, as they know
of us. Certain it Is, that this fine movement of Lord
Wellington's has taken their plans as much aback as their
positions, and I am expecting some brilliant result, shortly
after we shall have effected the passage of the Ebro, in this
part. ' I regret that our business has not led us as high up as
Regnosa, for I have an idle piece of curiosity that I should
like to indulge — that of visiting the sources of the Ebro.
This fine river is said to be distinguished from all others in
' What will they say in England when the story there is told ? ' was the first
thought then, as it ever is with our men when fighting their country's battles
abroad. What they did say in England at the time was simply to record the fact
of the advance of Lord Wellington's army and the retreat of the French, evidently
not appreciating the value aud excellence of what they recorded. What, a few
years afterwards, was the opinion of the profoundest of military students and
the ablest of war historians, is as follows : — ' Let those who understand war say
whether the English General's mastery of the line of the Douro was an effort
worthy of the man and his army. Let them have all the combinations, follow tho
movement of Graham's columns, some of which marched 150, some more than
250 miles through the wild districts of Tras-os-Montes. Through those regions,
held to be nearly impracticable for small corps, 40,000 men, infantry, cavalrj',
artillery, and pontoons had been carried and placed as if by a supernatural power
upon the Esla, before the enemy knew even that they were in movement. Was it
fortune or skill that presided ? Not fortune, for the difiSculties were such that
Graham arrived later on the Esla than Wellington intended, and yet so soon that
the enemy could take no advantage of the delay. Wellington had, as we have
seen, prepared the means of outnumbering the king's army both upon the Doiiro
and the Upper and Lower Eslas, and all these combinations, these surprising
exertions, had been made merely to gain a fair field of battle.'. — Kapier's Ptninsuhr
War, vol. v., chap. vii.

iET. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 303
this respect, that it does not rise Imperceptibly, in many small
streams, which, after running a certain course, unite, and take
the narae of a river ; but that It is the Ebro from its begin
ning, gushing Impetuously from several large cisterns In the
mountains above Regnosa, and forming at once a mighty
river. We have lately been marching through a flat, rich
country, but very difficult to get through after much rain.
We shall shortly get among the mountains, aud make acquaint
ance with the younger branches of the Pyrenean family.
' I have had some slight attacks of ague since I crossed
the Douro, but a change of bank never fails to repulse the
fiend. These attacks, indeed, as I have called them, have been
so slight, and have caused me so little inconvenience, that I
should not have thought of noticing them in writing to you
were I not fearful that aunt might discover I had ague fita,
through the same channel that brought her the Intelligence
the other day of ray being a snuffer of snuff!
'I ara anxious to cross the Ebro, and to know soraething
more than we do at present of the French positions. They
seem to be quite unprepared to meet the force Lord WelHng-
ton has collected, and to meet it in the way in which he has
disposed of it. The guerilla force, under Mina and Longa,
will join us imraediately, and I think Lord Wellington will
have a disposable force little short of 150,000 raen upon
the Ebro.'

304 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I813.

CHAPTER XIV,
1818.
Battle of Vittoria — Before San Sebastian — Failure of Assault-
Want OF Engineeeing Care— The Despatch of Vittoria— Brotheb
(Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Gomm) severely Wounded in Battle
of Pyrenees- (Japtueb of San Sebastian — Town Burnt.
' Eredia, three leagues from Vittoria, on the Pamplona Eoad : June 22, 1813.
' I AM much afraid my letter will not arrive in time at
head-quarters to keep pace with the despatches, but I could
not raake up ray raind to write to you till I had heard some
thing about Henry. We have not yet been able to meet, or
to write to each other ; but I have so mapy assurances of his
safety, frora those who were able to give rae information, and
I have so rauch reason to believe that the 6th were not
engaged, or very slightly, that nothing but a direct assurance
from himself that he is well could make rae feel easier than I
do on bis account. Besides, I dare say he is writing to you
hiraself. ' We attacked the French array yesterday upon the plain
of Vittoria, and have beaten thera soundly. The 5th Division
have again had their full share of employment. We carried
by storm the village of Garaarra Mayor, on the flank of the
French array, and thereby cutting off their retreat by the
Bayonne road.' It was a post of the utmost iraportance to
the enemy, and they knew it ; for they defended the village
obstinately, and charged the bridge .over the Zadora river
repeatedly after we had taken possession of it. Our loss has,
therefore, been severe, particularly frora the 4th, 47th, 59tli,
and Royal regiraents, which were the first that advanced
upon the village ; but judges say we have added to our
' See Lord Wellington's despatch of this date, extracts from which are given
as a foot-note in page 313.

MT. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 305
reputation, and we are given to understand that Lord Welling
ton thinks we performed a very Iraportant service at that
moment. It seeras to have been decisive of the enemy's
plans, if he ever had any ; for the left of his line, which had
fought well during the whole day, was in full retreat shortly
after we had established ourselves ; and when we crossed the
bridge the whole of the British cavalry covered the plain of
Vittoria. I assure you 4,000 British helmets reflecting the
rays of the setting sun across the plain was rather an
animating spectacle under such circumstances. The French
have left in our hands the whole of their baggage, stores of
every description, military chests, and, by the most general
report, eighty pieces of cannon upon the field Their policy
on this occasion Is not to be understood. There Is no Instance
in history of an army retiring unbroken and raaking such
sacrifices. Joseph Bonaparte rode off towards Paraplona in
the course of the day. The whole of his baggage, private
papers, cyphers, in fact whatever he possessed, is in our
hands ; and his servants say that all his possessions are upon
his shoulders. I regret that I have not been able to go into
Vittoria to-day. Those who have been there say that the
variety of prizes offered for sale, general officers' carriages,
horses, mules, baggage of every description, make up the
strangest fair they ever attended. The loss of our army on
this occasion in men will have been nearly as great as that of
the enemy — I should think about 4,000, and, strange to tell,
I believe we have not made 1,000 prisoners.
' Now that I have given you a general idea of the manner
in which we employed our time yesterday, I must beg of you
to excuse my enlarging a little upon my own private griev
ances In the course of it. I am likely to pay pretty hand
somely for my day's amusement. I bought lately a beautiful
English mare, which I rode yesterday in the field, and she
was shot under me in the first assault of the village. She
was so severely wounded In the shoulder by a musket-ball,
that it was with difficulty I could make her carry me into the
village. When we had gained some footing, I was upon the
X

3o6 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
point of putting a pistol to her head and shortening her
sufferings, when a shell struck the ground within five yards
of us, and, bursting, put an end to the ceremony, and set her
at rest. I escaped, with my usual good fortune. My poor
mare cost me a hundred guineas, and they will pay me five-
and-thirty. However, believe me, I do not exclaim with the
Knight of Snowdon, " Woe worth the chace, woe worth the
day," for I think that even to a very poor man, as I very
certainly am, there Is no loss In point of money that can at
all weigh against the luxury of riding a fine horse in action.
I have still " The Phantom," in high preservation, and two
others, that under my weight will suffer very few In the
country to pass them.
' I must not forget to tell you that Dallas and Le Blanc
are both well, in case you should see any of their friends
before they hear from them. I know Dallas is a graceless
youth, and I dare say not very communicative on these
occasions. ' I have not written to you since we crossed the Ebro, for
I have not had an opportunity. One of our brigades, General
Hay's, had an affair the other day, at the Pass of Osma, with
part of Mancune's division, in which I was also concerned ;
but I could not write to you at that tirae. We have had the
weather of November ever since we crossed the Ebro, and It
is likely to continue. " Neuf mois d'hiver, et trois de mauvais
temps," seems to be the character of this climate as well as of
our own. The country is beautiful ; richly-cultivated valleys,
and mountains covered with the noblest forests. Whoever
hereafter threatens me with Switzerland shall hear of' the
Pass of Osma and the Valley of Santa Colomba. It does
not appear that the French ever entered this valley, and per
haps until we passed through it (to use the expression of some
writers) " the clang of arms had never disturbed its solemn
repose." Indeed, I can conceive nothing finer than the whole
route from the banks of the Upper Ebro across the mountains
to Vittoria. The enemy never seem to have dreamed that
a column of 18,000 men, which was the force of ours, was
moving upon him in this direction. We have had harassing

iET. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 307
and fatiguing marches, but the great combinations of Lord
Wellington have been crowned with the happiest success.
' Everything we hear of the French since yesterday seems
to render their conduct more and more Inexplicable. The
king was giving a concert when our attack coraraenced; they
never seem to have imagined It possible that we could have
forced their position.
' We have just heard that Lord Wellington thinks a
hundred and thirty-seven pieces of cannon have fallen into
our hands ; If so, we have taken fifty pieces beyond the
number we ourselves brought Into the field.
' Lord Wellmgton has already written to General Oswald,
expressing to him the high sense he has of the service ren
dered by the division. Sir Thomas Graham, also, under
whose immediate coraraand we acted, has said the handsoraest
things of us. Upon the whole, I think myself lucky in not
having fallen a raartyr to ague at Lamego. If I judge
rightly, he is a champion that does not stand fire, for he has
not attended rae of late.
' The French have retired upon Pamplona ; the array is
in full march after them, the Hussars harassing their rear
guard. We are hourly expecting an order for to-morrow's
movement. ' I had almost forgot mentioning to you that we had a
good deal to do with Longa, the famous guerilla, yesterday.
His people behaved well, and were of rauch service. He Is
himself a young raan ; and for one so full of enterprise, and
so little used to control, I thought his behaviour adralrable,
in falling so readily as he did into our plans — soraetlraes very
opposite to his own.
' I have nothing further to relate to you upon the subject,
I believe, but that we found the longest day in the year too
short for our purpose. I shall write to the General and to
Sir Howard as soon as I can.' 'Mondragon: July 3, 1S13.
' Since I last wrote to you, Joseph has withdrawn his
army through the Pass of Roncesvalles into France, leaving a
x2

3o8 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I8I8.
garrison in Pamplona, which, I believe, will be besieged
imraediately. I do not think we shall have rauch to say to It.
Sir T. Grahara has driven Foy and his division across the
Bidasoa river, so that the country is clear on this side. We
have had a dance in the meanwhile after Clausel, who I believe
has gone down to Zarragoza, and there joined Suchet. We
are going to-morrow towards Tolosa, to rejoin Sir T. Graham.
' I am only retailing here what I have told the General in
the long story enclosed, because I do not think you will
venture upon the perusal of so long-winded a tale. I should
send it to hira direct if I were certain where I should find
hira. It is very provoking that Henry and I have never
been able to clash since the action. He has been sent one
way, and I another ; but I have good accounts of hira. I am
rayself very well.
' I did not know when I wrote to you that my poor little
Phantom did not get off entirely without harm from the
hurly-burly, although he escaped shot-free, for I contrived
to sprain his ankle before the evening closed ; however, he is
now nearly himself again,
' I shall write to you soon, if anything of consequence
takes place ; but we expect a little rest at present. I believe
we can now muster about two hundred guns for you at
Vittoria, which, well brushed up, might be raade to fulfil
Bonaparte's prediction very faithfully, when he said that if
the English dared approach the Ebro, they would find It
glittering Avith his cannon.' ' Camp before San Sebastian : July 18, 1813.
' Our campaign is going on raore actively than I gave you
reason to expect in ray last letter to you from Mondragon.
You will hear, before this reaches you, that we are employed
In the siege of this place. We have been some days before it,
and are going on well. We have it all to ourselves, with the
exception of a Portuguese brigade under General Bradford,
which is acting with us. Yesterday we attacked and carried
by assault a very important line of outwork, which the French

Mt. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 309
held with a tolerable grace. The 9th supported the Portu
guese in their best style, with the loss of about seventy In
killed and wounded, and several officers. The Portuguese, I
should think, have not lost so many. The French are reported
to have lost eleven officers and 250 raen on this occasion.
The localities in the neighbourhood of a besieged town not
being particularly adapted to the performance of feats on
horseback, M. Phantom was not brought into play, and his
master suffered no other inconvenience than some fatigue and
a shock to the nerves, which, however, are recovering their
tone this day. The governor seems to have been similarly
affected, for he has not been so noisy to-day as usual. Upon
the whole, I think he cannot keep his castle many days out
of our hands. Not that the fortress itself is so despicable,
but we are attacking it with overwhelming means. It will be
an important possession in our hands, and, with a naval co
operation, highly defensible.
' 20th. — I was Interrupted In this part of my letter, and
have not been able to continue It till this raoment. We have
opened this morning a fire from six-and-thirty pieces of cannon
upon the town. The weather Is dreadful, like that we are
used to experience at the equinox, and there appears no
chance of its clearing up. I have just left the batteries and
trenches full of hasty pudding ; they will be knee deep If this
weather continues, but it will not retard the operations of the
siege. ' I shall enclose you a scratch, which I wish you would
send to General Benson, as it raay interest hira, however de
ficient In accuracy, aud I will add some notes that may help
to decipher it.
' I hope Henry corresponds better with you than with rae,
for I have not heard frora hira since we fought at Vittoria.
I wrote to hira the other day, giving an account of our goings
on here; and, as there appeared to be no chance of our meeting
immediately, I begged that he also would break silence, I
believe his division are resting upon their arms, somewhere in
the neighbourhood of St, Estevan,

3IO , TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
' Pamplona is blockaded by the Spaniards, under O'DonneU,
The garrison will probably surrender in a few weeks for want
of provisions, I hope we shall go on better in the South
since Sir James Murray is displaced ; he has been playing
antics there which I thought we had all of us forgotten the
way of long ago,
' We have sorae late papers from England ; the capture of
the Chesapeake, and King Joseph's " hairbreadth 'scapes," are
among the raost Interesting details.
' I believe I have said enough on the subject of ague to
convince you that he has no hold on rae, at least he has had
nothing to say to me since I last wrote to you ; I suspect he
is on the wing to a less riotous neighbourhood, and have little
fear of his return. I shall write to Sir Howard, if possible,
this day, as the business we are engaged in will, I know, be
particularly interesting to hira.
' P.S. — General Walker is, I understand, on his way to
the army ; pray tell the General, when you send him the
enclosed, that I am aware he will be at some trouble in
deciphering it, but that I am afraid that If I set about com
posing a drawing I shall be called away in the middle of it.
' I saw the Prince of Orange on Saturday, just before we
went to the assault of the outworks ; he was very well, and
was very kind.
' 22nd. — I have just got a letter from Henry ; he is en
camped above Beira, among the bills whose heads touch
heaven : fulfilling Mr. Canning's prediction some time ago,
that we should yet see an English army looking down upon
the French provinces from the tops of the Pyrenees. He is
very well, and congratulates me upon the noise we are making.'
' Before San Sebastian : July 25, 1813.
' We attacked the town yesterday morning, and failed. I
do not think we have been engaged in so hazardous an attempt
since this country became the scene of our adventures, not
even at Badajos.
' I shall not persecute you with the details of this madcap

^t. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 3 1 1
enterprise, but will enclose another scratch for General Benson,
which I will beg of you to send him when you have an oppor
tunity. To him, I know, every little detail of this kind will
be interesting, although I have my fears that he, with all the
assistance of military knowledge, will hardly be able to de
cipher it.
' I do not know whether I have ever expressed it to you,
but I have always had a dread of being engaged in any of
these sieges. We are used to set so much to the hazard, and
to dispense with the common precautions which theory would
make us believe are necessary to be taken where success Is in
any degree to be ensured, and which our own repeated expe
rience confirms. Not that in all situations the surest plan of
proceeding is the best. Had we, for Instance, attended to all
the niceties of the art in the attack of Ciudad Rodrigo, or of
Badajos, it is possible we should have taken neither. The
French armies were collecting for the relief of both, and al
though they might not have beaten us, they would at least
have commanded our attention. I am afraid the success on
these occasions, owing to the almost miraculous efforts of our
troops, has checked the progress of science among our engi
neers, and perhaps done more ; for it seems to have inspired
them with a contempt for as rauch of It as they had attained.
Our soldiers have on all occasions stood, fire so well that our
artillery have become as summary in their proceedings as our
engineers ; and, provided they can make a hole in the wall by
which we can claw up, they care not about destroying its
defences, or facilitating in any degree what Is, under the most
favourable auspices, the raost desperate of all railltary enter
prises. In fact, we have been so called upon hitherto to
ensure the success of our sieges by the sacrifice of lives, that
our chief engineers and commandants of artillery remind us of
what Burke says of the Revolutionary philosophers : — " The
mathematicians, from the dry bones of their diagraras, and the
chymists, from the soot of their furnaces, bring with thera dis
positions which make them raore than indifferent to the cause
of humanity. They seera to consider men as no more than

3T2 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [181.'^.
mice in an air-pump," and calculate upon the expense we
shall incur In carrying such and such a post with as much
sang froid as they do upon the supply of ammunition necessary
to bring down the wall.
' We certainly carae before this place, supplied, I thought,
with all the raeans necessary for attacking it en regie, and I
saw no reason for attacking it otherwise. We have, however,
conformed In this instance also to what raen of science call
the nevv system, but what plain men call an abuse of the old
one. ' I have dwelt much longer than I ought to have done
upon this subject; but it is at least pardonable in us, who are
nearest concerned, to become tedious in passing our censure
upon the method of proceeding of those whom we cannot but
look upon as the authors of our calamity, which, as it might
have been foreseen by thera, and was by others, might have
been avoided. In a very few minutes five hundred of the
flower of the army were cut down — the Royal, which was the
pride of the division, the 38th, an excellent corps. The 9th,
fortunately, had not time to suffer rauch ; but they lost nearly
as raany heads as they showed. Most fortunately the troops
behaved as they have always done. Sir Thomas Graham bore
testimony to It, and I believe Lord Wellington, who was in
the neighbourhood in the course of the afternoon, never ex
pressed a doubt of it. He has too often seen thera do what
raen can do to suppose for a moment that they were wanting
in this instance. I do not know what is Intended to be done ;
if we have a sufficiency of military stores remaining, and
choose to treat the place with the respect it deserves, we shall
certainly take It ; if not, I suppose we shall blockade.
' Since I wrote to you I have received a letter from
Henry ; his division Is posted upon the frontier, near Berra.
He Is very well, and promises to write often.
' I am disappointed that you should not have received my
letter, written after the business of the 21st, at the time you
wrote ; but I hope you will give rae a good account of it in
your next letter. I raust beg you all to suppose many pretty

iET. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 3 1 3
speeches made in return for your congratulations. Nothing
will persuade rae that you have not, all of you, begun at the
wrong end of the despatch, and read upwards, in which case
my narae coraes pop upon you. Whoever got at it by any
other route deserves to be celebrated for faithful reading, for
it closes a catalogue of proper names alraost as copious as the
Book of Numbers.'
' Lord Wellington's de.?patch ou the battle of Vittoria, alluded to in this letter,
is to be found at p. 446, Vol. X., ' Wellington Despatches.' The following extracts
from it confirm Colonel Gomm's opinion as expressed in his letters.
¦ To Lord Bathurst :— ' Salvatlerra, June 22, 1813.
'I am happy to inform your lordship that the allied army under my command
g ained a complete victory over the enemy, having driven them from all their
p ositions, having taken from them 161 pieces of cannon, waggons of ammunition,
all their baggage, provisions, cattle, treasure, etc. . . . The contest was, however,
vory severe, and the loss sustained considerable  Lieutenant-General Sir
Thomas Graham particularly reports his sense of the assistance he received from
Colonel De Laricey, etc., etc., iiiid Mujor-General Oswald reports the same of
Lieutenant-Colonel Berkeley, of the Adjutant - General's Department, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Gomm, of the ftuarterinaster-General's Department 
Colonel His Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Orange was in the field as
my aide-de-camp, and conducted himself with his usual gallantry and intelligence.'
The return of the killed and wounded of the Allied army follows. It is pain
fully suggestive of the fearful nature of the action —
Killed ... 33 officers 10 sergeants 688 men
AVounded . . 230 „ 158 „ 3,782 „
There were taken from the enemy —
151 brass ordnance on carriages
415 caissons
and all their ammunition, etc.
With his usual modesty and caution Lord Wellington gives no estimate
oven of the loss of the enemy, though it must have been severe. Tte presence of
the guns at this battle was in no slight degree due to Gomm himself. ' I had been
employed,' as he himself states in a memorandum written some years afterwards,
'to reconnoitre the roads leading from Lamego through Tras-os-Montes, pre
paratory lo the advance of the left column of the army from the Douro to tbe
Ebro; and I was able to report that the passage of artillery was practicable,
though with uncommon difiiculty, through that ruggedly mountainous region.
This obviated the necessity of sending the guns of the two divisions round by
the circuitous and superdilatory route of Oporto. I was stormed at right
vehemently by the ordnance attaches for my report, but was trusted by the
Divisionnaire and higher authorities; and the guns crossed the Douro and went
forward with the columns. Half a battalion sometimes, and sometimes a whole
battalion, were tackled to the wain ; here and there pieces got unshipped, but
through the passes all were brojight in working order, so that when Marshal

314 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [I813.
' TeU aunt it gave me as much pleasure as it did her to
find the Prince of Orange so handsomely mentioned by Lord
Wellington ; he deserves everything that is said of him.
' There is another person of « bom I was much pleased to
hear so many handsorae things said by Lord Cathcart, in one
of his despatches — the young Count Woronzow. Whenever
you see Lady Pembroke, congratulate them for me on his
account. ' 26th. — It seeras decided upon that the siege of this place
Is, for the present, to be converted into a blockade. One
regrets that the operations against it should not have been
conducted with raore raethod, the more so as we expected to
have raade a little conquest of our own. On most other occa
sions there is a half-faced fellowship In honours, which would
not have been the case here, because. If our expectations have
been thwarted In this regard, they have been very agreeably
so In another, for I thought a broken head or a pension would
infallibly have been my portion before I escaped out of the
hands of those Philistines, the Engineers. The French made
a sortie this morning upon our lines, and, as we did not expect
Jourdain looked abroad through his telescope on the goodly outspread of Sir Thomas
Graham's corps along its heights on the morning of Vittoria, and comforted him
self and his neighbours with assurance that " the traversers of the mountains were
indeed there, but that there could be no guns of the party," we opened upon
Gamarra Mayor with a salvo for his further information, and carrying the well-
contested village and the passes of the Ladorra, thereby turned his left flank, and
threw him and his discomfited army off the Bayonne road and their proper line of
retreat by the movement.'
It is said that t,his action of Gomm's brought him very favourably under the
notice of the Duke of Wellington, who never lost sight of him from that day
forward ; but that it was hard work is evidenced by the allusion in his letter of
May 24, when he speaks of the ' officers requiring more driving than their horses,'
and that ' if I had not been more interested than they in tho success of the enter
prise, there was more than once opposition enough to have turned an obstinate
man from his opinion.'
Never was any victory more complete than that of Vittoria, Joseph himself
escaped with the greatest difficulty, leaving everything down to his travelling
carriage and all his despatches in our hands. The whole wreck of his army, in
cluding all the plunder which he had accumulated during the French successes, and
wrung from every part of Spain with unsparing rapacity, was recklessly aban
doned to any who chose to seize it. To have contributed in no trifling degree to
such a victory was a great distinction to so young an officer as Gomm.

MT. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 315
them, gave us more trouble than was necessary. I quitted
my couch in consequence, and am just returned from the
trenches rather drowsy.' ' Before San Sebastian : August 1, 1813, 2 a.m.
' I have just received a letter frora Henry, bringing rae an
account of his ha\ing received a wound, fortunately not dan
gerous, in an affair with the enemy on the 24th. A musket-
ball entered his back and Came out near the left breast. He
was on horseback, giving directions to his regiment at the time
he received it. He assures me most positively that he is In
no danger, and I think the proof of it is that he has been tra
velling ever since, and writes me a long letter from Irurzum,
dated the 24th, so that I conclude he was on bis way to Vit
toria, where he will be perfectly quiet, and have the best
attendance that can be found In the army. He tells rae at
the end of his letter that he Is leaving off to write to you ; but
as we make short cuts from this part of the country to England,
and as the officer who takes charge of a letter I wrote to you a
clay or two ago goes on board the Surveillant to-morrow for
the purpose of taking the first sail for England, I think it
very probable ray letter will reach you before his, and arm you
against idle reports. I assure you, upon my honour, that I
have disguised or concealed nothing that he tells me of him
self, so that you see you have no reason whatever to be
alarmed on account of his safety. I shall write to him to
morrow, and remind him of the advantages I have here for
sending letters to England, which wiU be a double induceraent
to him to let me hear of him alraost every day. If he wants
anything of me personally I can get to Vittoria in a very
short time, upon post-horses, but this confounded siege does
not leave it a matter of choice for rae.
' You will hear before this reaches you, perhaps, that Lord
Wellington has obtained some important advantages over
Soult, in the direction of Pamplona, within these few days.
Pamplona must be distressed.
' Our siege continues in the state which the Engineers call

3i6 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
a lull. When we commence again I dare say we shall do it a
little less en charlatan, and more en regie.
' Adieu I Once more I beg of you not to be foolish about
Henry. You shall have accounts of him from me as often as
I can send them, but do not conclude frora what I have said
that I have the means of sending every day, and grow fidgetty
because you do not hear from me as often as you wish. My
letters will bring you late news when they reach you, but It is
only now and then that opportunities offer.
'P.S. — My dear Aunt, — Upon second thoughts I have
directed this letter to you. You will understand why.'
' Before San Sebastian : August 7, 1813.
' I have just received a letter from Henry, dated the 3rd,
frora Vittoria. I shall give you his own words : " Now that I
can get rest I am sure I thall come round very rapidly. I
am perfectly free from pain, and my wound is healing fast."
I received another letter at the same time, equally gratifying,
from Major Campbell, of his own regiment, a son of
General Campbell, who commanded at Gibraltar, and an old
chum of Henry's. He says : " Col. Campbell being hick,
Gomm coraraanded. He received the ball as he was most
gallantly leading the Grenadiers forward, and fell just before
three companies of the regiment charged."
' I envy him his command of the regiment at such a moment.
It is a luxury that my Staff situation places out of my reach,
and I can never attend at such a ceremony but as an in
terloper. ' We continue here as usual. Soult's loss in his late
rencontre with Lord Wellington is rated at little less than
20,000 men. The Prince of Orange carries the despatches
home. I hope they will make a major-general of him.
' We are in hourly expectation of Sir James Leith's
arrival ; he sailed from Lisbon several weeks ago. During his
absence we have been commanded by a very able man and
excellent officer, General Otwald ; so that, you see, we are
fortunate in the rulers they give us.

iET. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 317

'Before San Sebastian: August 13, 1813.
' Since I wrote to you I have paid a visit to Irun and
Fontarabla, and several other interesting points. This whole
country is beautiful, and productive beyond any I have ever
seen, particularly in apples. The orchards are without end. I
have had little tirae to talk to you about the beauty of the
neighbourhood of San Sebastian or of the spot itself, but yet
it is of the first order. Happiness and plenty seera to be its
characteristics. We have sadly raarred both one and the other.
I am afraid we shall be obliged to destroy a great part of the
town. The convent of which I have already had occasion to
speak to you in several of my letters, was for many years the
asylum of all the females of noble family residing in this and
the neighbouring provinces who took the veil. It was a hand
some and delightfully situated building, and such an untimely
ruin as we have made of it among us it would be difficult to
imngine. Our principal batteries are shortly to thunder from
among the tombs. He is indeed grim-vlsaged War when we
contemplate hira under such circumstances.
' Indeed, your fete at Vauxhall seeras to have been a spirited
perforraance. I hope the Prince of Orange will give you
another opportunity of doing gay things.'
' San Sebastian : September 5, 1813.
' Things have continued in so unsettled a state since the
assault of the town until the present raoraent, and ray attention
has been diverted in so many thousand ways, that I have
neither had opportunity nor disposition to write to you
earlier. This I had at first less reason to regret, as there was
a chance of ray being enabled, by a delay of a day or two, to
set you quite at rest upon the subject of San Sebastian, and
to report to you upon the final proceedings of the laborious
and hazardous service we have for some time been engaged In.
I cannot do this entirely even now, but you need be under
very little apprehension about what reraains to be done. The
French still hold the castle, but they hold It like people that

3i8 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
are anxious for an opportunity of surrendering with a good
grace ; and I fully expect that the opening of our batteries
upon the castle wall, and preparations for a fresh assault, will
answer their purpose ; there is little acharnement left among
them. ' I am sorry to learn that the despatches have been sent
home unaccompanied by the returns of the killed and wounded ;
if so, there will unavoidably be a great deal of needless alarm
excited, and I regret that I did not write to you while the
tumult raged. Our loss has been severe, more even than I
expected, that of the Division alone exceeds sixteen hundred.
Our total loss on this occasion must be considerably upwards of
two thousand men. Many valuable raen have fallen — none
more regretted, or more deservedly so, than poor Crawfurd of
the 9 th. General Leith, behaving as usual, was struck several
times, at last very severely. I ara happy to hear, however,
that he is doing well, and have great hopes he will not lose his
arra. He had only joined us the preceding day. The mural
crown will be well established upon his head by this last
exploit. All circumstances considered, it is very gratifying
to us all (of the Division I mean) to have been forced at length
to carry the town by assault.
' Failure, of late, in anything that British troops undertake,
is soraething so rare, that the impossibility of succeeding, and
a conviction of it in the minds of those who do fail, is scarcely
excuse enough to theraselves or their friends ; and so it was
with us after our first assault on this place; we had many
friends on this occasion, who, had they seen as much of the
heroisra of the naen they caluranlated. In point of patience and
endurance of hard labour, during six weeks of trial, as they
did of their intrepidity in the hour of assault, would not cer
tainly have required anything further to convince thera that
all was as it should be in the first instance. I have not
written to you since our batteries opened a second time upon
the town, for the reasons that I give in the beginning of my
letter. We recommenced our operations, I think, on the
27th, took possession of the island, greatly impaired the

MI- 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 319
enemy's defences, and improved our access to the breach,
which was also rendered much more extensive, and on the 31st,
at eleven o'clock in the day, attacked the town. The attack
of a breach by daylight is soraething new in the annals of
modern warfare, and spectators say that the coup doe.il answered
their expectations.
' The enemy maintained his post obstinately, and held the
breach for nearly three hours, springing several inlnes, and avail
ing himself of every advantage that the nature of such a contest
places on the side of those who defend. At length we forced
a passage into the town, and before four o'clock tho whole of
it was in our possession, the enemy withdrawing to the castle :
not, however, till after he had made some obstinate stands In
the town, which was barricaded with great attention, md
might have been even more obstinately contested than it was ;
but they were exhausted by the long stand they made at the
breach. The day closed as it always has done since the first
town was taken, in riot and turault ; and although many oi
the excesses comraltted at Badajos were avoided here, San
Sebastian's Is a more melancholy story than either that of
Badajos or Rodrigo. I have written to you frora both these
places under similar circumstances, and I fear I have raade
tales of woe already too familiar to your ears.
' I date my letter from San Sebastian, but really with very
little title, for I am writing from among its ruins. With
the exception of ten or twelve fortunate buildings there is
nothing left of San Sebastian but the walls of its houses, and
these are falling every instant with a tremendous crash. How
the fire was communicated in the first instance Is uncertain,
but I think there Is little doubt of its having beeu done inten
tionally by the enemy ; and In a town so constructed as this,
there was little chance of its being got under wheu once
kindled — particularly by our soldiers, who were busied about
anything else. It was not a very large town, but a very
handsome one, full of excellent houses, aud more regularly
built than any I have ever seen, except Madrid ; a place of
considerable trade, populous, the abode of many wealthy

320 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
merchants, and containing a great deal of treasure, at the
moraent of the assault. Imagine what must have been the
scenes passing before our eyes during the last four days. We
have been driven almost to the ramparts by the fire, while the
people have rushed in crowds where certain destruction seemed
to threaten them. In search of their property, great part of
which they had concealed and buried. Much has certainly
been saved ; we have done everything in our power to assist
them ; a great deal has been plundered, and a vast proportion
raust still reraain buried under the ruins. The fire has nearly
exhausted itself, for it has nothing left to prey upon, and we
are now endeavouring to forra communications from the ram
parts to the only line of buildings still standing. In the direc
tion of the castle. The houses were so lofty that every street
has been completely choked up with the ruins. The outer
walls were all of very handsorae stone ; In raany parts there is
scarcely one stone standing upon another: in others, the
whole wall is still perfect in its height, but overhanging the
street, and appears to be only waiting for the first high wind
to complete the destruction. The people who were its In
habitants have carried away everything they can hope to
save, and excepting that now and then a peasant may be
observed dodging about among the embers, led raore by
curiosity than Interest, there is nothing living to be met
with but a soldier. Never surely was there a more complete
picture of devastation than this place presents. I do not
know whether It is not more distressing in its present quiet
state than even when the fire was raging at its height, and
every effort was making, not only by the people to save their
property, but by all ranks and conditions to rescue some
hundreds of wounded, French as well as English, from the
flames, which were every instant gaining ground upon them,
and raany decrepid and venerable inhabitants, who were ill
prepared, frora their age and infirmities, to meet such a
visitation. ' I have in ray recollection Ariosto's beautiful description
of the Sacking of BIserta, and I believe there is no part of his

XI. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 321
animated painting to which the fate of San Sebastian cannot
afford a parallel ; but I shall finish my tale of horrors and turn
your attention to a subject much more agreeable. I have, since
I sat down to write, received a ver}-^ good letter frora Henry.
He continues going on very well, says he feels alraost as well
as ever he did in his life, although his wound is still trouble
some after any exertion; he talks of joining soon, but I hope
he will still defer it for some weeks. Soult was again repulsed,
you will see, on the day we assaulted the town, and I cannot
think he will make any further serious atterapt to relieve it.
' I trust a few days will enable me to give you a good
account of our unaccomraodating governor ; in the raeantirae
be assured we are doing perfectly well.'
'San Sebastian : September 11, 1813.
' It does not take away frora the satisfaction with which I
write to you upon our obtaining complete possession of this
place, to find that I was not raising your expectations too
high, when I told you In ray last letter from the town that I
did not think General Rey looked as if he meant to be very
roraantic in his defence of the castle. We opened a fire upon
him from sixty bouches a feu on the 8th, and in less than two
hours after he proposed to capitulate. The day following,
the garrison laid down their arms, and to-day they are
embarking for England ; their strength Is about fifteen hundred,
the remains of three thousand six hundred when we came
before this place. We are not at all sorry to get rid of them
so soon ; they are a disgusting set of fellows. The French of
the present day appear to me to represent that very worst
state of society described by Montesquieu, under which self-
interest, properly so called. Is the sole spring of action.
Treachery, intrigue, bad faith, at horae as well as abroad, the
acknowledged rules of conduct, and success through any of
these channels the only title to respect. I trust we shall go
on verifying Montesquieu's opinion of the weakness of a
State so constituted, against those who subscribe to a different
code. General Rey is a coarse fellow ; his chief of the staff,
M. Songeon, a great rogue, and holding a post, I shouJd
T

32 2 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
think, not yet equal to his merits The only gentleman among
thera is the ci-devant commandant of the place, the Baron de
Santuari— he is one of the ancient noblesse. We took the liberty
of telling some of thera that we thought him at least a match
for his new associates ; que Vancienue valoit bien la nouvelle.
' Ah ! ma foi, oui.
' Here, then, ends our siege, which we have all longed sc
heartily to bring to a conclusion, but in which, I believe, we
need not regret our having been employed. Our loss has been
heavy: we have about three thousand men hors de combat
since the comraencement of the siege. Many of these are
slightly wounded, and will return to us. Sir Jaraes Leith, I
am happy to tell you. Is recovering rapidly, and will resume
the coraraand of us in the course of a few weeks. This climate
is wonderfully healthy ; all our wounded recover faster than
they have been known to do elsewhere, and " but for these vile
guns " there would be no ailing among us. We have scarcely
any sickness.
' I have heard frora Henry very lately, and of him
frequently ; he is going on as well as possible, and, I dare say,
will soon be able to return to his reglraent. Your prognos
tics upon ray hair-breadth 'scapes entertain rae exceedingly.
I wish I could be as easily satisfied rayself as some of you are
kind enough to be upon this point ; but I am afraid the only
inference I shall ever be able to draw from it at all convincing
to rayself will be that I ara a lucky fellow.
' It is uncertain what they intend doing with us now. I
believe all is likely to reraain quiet in front. There have been
reports that Soult is again upon his legs, but I do not believe
them. I do not think the cliraate will suffer us to retain our
mountain positions many weeks longer, nor will It be necessary.
I hope they will leave us where we are, rather than bring us
Into third or fourth line for a few days, among the mountains.
We are collecting again by degrees, but our forces are certainly
at present a little like the walls of St. Sebastian — un pen de-
labrees. ' I forgot whether I told you Le Blanc was wounded in the
assault ; he Is, however, doing very well.'

jf:t. 28.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 323

CHAPTER XV.
1813-1814.
DiiiviNO THB French over the Fro.ntier- Death of Moreau—
Nearly takk.v I'risoner while out for a ltF;co.v.NAi88ANCB at
Biarritz— Wounded— Severe FiGHTiNf;, Nivk, Nivklle, and St.
riERRE— Allies nbarino Paris— Investment of Havonne— Last
Sortie- liAiBiNS of the Bourbon White Flag — Hostilities scs-
i'knued — Napoleon banished to Elba — Troops k.mbabk for
America— (In Leave to Paris- Lieitenant-Colonkl Coldstrk.v.m
Guards. To his Sister. 'Ozarzum: Spptombnr 27, 1813.
'I THINK you will be pleased with the novelty of hearing
from Henry and myself under the siiine cover ; and therefore
I write two lines — he promises to write as many.
' We were relieved the day before yesterday by a Spanish
garrison at San Sebastian, and our carap is now about two
miles in front of Ozarzum, forming part of the second line.
'I yesterday received your letter of the 13th. You must
have received the despatches (though, I am afraid, not my
letter) the following day. I am glad to find General Oswald
so handsomely mentioned ; it is no panegyric, I assure you.
We have left Sir James near San Sebastian, but I am happy
to say his wounds arc healing fast.
* We are most anxiously looking out for accounts from our
side of the battle of Dresden, the Crown Prince's movements,
Moreau, etc. There has certainly been hard work, and I
beHeve Bonaparte has been well beaten in the end.
' They talk of our moving, but it is very uncertain. We
have had violent weather lately, but the equinox seems to have
passed over, and they tell us we are likely to have a month or
two of fine weather.
y2

324 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
' Henry is going to Passages for a short time ; It is the
best place for him. I am just going to ride over, and try to
get him decently put up there, which Is no very easy matter.
' Pray thank all my friends very kindly for me, who are so
thoughtful as to Inquire about me. I am afraid they will
begin to think I have fallen under the displeasure of Southey's
Kehama, " I charm thy life from the weapons of strife," etc. ;
but pray assure them I am in a very sane state of body at this
moment, and I trust also of mind.
' You shall hear from rae when we raake any movement.
' Just as I had closed my letter the packet which the Prince
of Orange was so kind as to take charge of was put into my
hands. ' I am afraid I have made you look forward with too much
confidence to a visit from me in the winter. I do not know,
but I think it looks as if our winter would not be a decidedly
quiet one, and subject to many false alarms ; and I should
feel rather restless if I were at a distance when there was a
chance of anything iraportant taking place. Under such cir-
curastances, too, it would be very difficult to obtain leave from
Lord Wellington, ' Ozarzum : October 3, 1813.
' Henry's wound Is not yet closed, nor ought it till the cloth,
etc., which the ball forced in before it have worked their way
out. Part of the coat has already made Its appearance, and he
is in anxious expectation of the shirt and waistcoat ! In the
meantime he suffers no pain, and is only prevented frora taking
violent exercise. He eats stewed meats whenever he can
get them, and drinks more than you dare. All is still quiet
here, and so long as It continues so this is the best place for
him. . . .' ' Camp before St. Jean de Luz : October 9, 1813.
' We crossed the Bidasoa the day before yesterday In face
of the enemy, who made very little opposition, and retired
skirmishing to the position he novv occupies covering St. Jean
de Luz. Our loss does not exceed one hundred and fifty.

JET. 29.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 325
' I have just got your letter of the 20th of September. I
am glad you are all pleased with us at San Sebastian, for we
were obliged to put up with many insults here during its pro
gress. ... I got a glimpse of the Prince of Orange just after
(Tossing the river. We were very glad to meet again and
u])oii French ground. He was very kind.
' Wc are fortunate in having another day's re.'^t. I confess
to you that I employed the whole of yesterday in sleep, and
only now begin to feel as 1 did before we marched. It was a
fatiguing day, though not a very hard fighting one. This is a
fine and fertile country, and offers every temptation to get a
little more of it. I think we shall shortly throw the Frfuch
army behind the Adour, and I hope that my next letter will
be at least from the neighbourhood of St. Jean de Luz. The
peasantry, fearful of retaliation, which, by-the-bye, they have
good reason to expect, have in general fled from their homes.
1 hope a few days will reconcile them to the strange situation
of an English army in their territory, and will render them a
little less savage.
' Sir Thomas Graham has just closed a bright career, and is
going home immediately. This was the last of his fields. Sir
John Hope has just taken the command of the Left Column.
We are fortunate in being always under men who have par
ticularly distinguished themselves. I have scarcely been able
to see Sit John yet, but I shall soon take an opportunity of
renewing our acquaintance. Should we move forward in a
day or two towards the Nivelle, I shall give you an account of
our proceedings.' ' Camp des. Sans Culottes : November 7, 1813.
' I have not heard from Henry for some days, but I have
very good accouuts of him.
' No movement has taken place since the faU of Pamplona,
owing to the extreme badness of the weather. A great deal
of snow has fallen about Roncesvalles, and unless the season
favours us more than it promises to do, I am afraid we shall
find it difficult to estabUsh our winter quarters upon the

320 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
Adour. We expect great tidings from the north by the next
arrivals. That madman Buonaparte has puzzled us all by his
march upon Berlin. I am afraid my poor aunt ' will have her
quarters again beat up, but the inconvenience can only be
momentary. His ruin seeras inevitable, and so much do I
build upon It that I ara not so anxious to get home this winter
because I think everything raust be settled shortly ; and
having been such a stickler hitherto I should be sorry to be
out of the way while anything remained to do. If we have
another campaign in this country I promise you I will do all
I can to get among you in the winter ; but I trust we shall
have a Bourbon on the throne of France before I see you
again. ' A thousand thanks for your copy of the Emperor Alex
ander's letter. It is worthy of him, and a tribute due to the
memory of the most valuable man perhaps of our time. What
a loss ! so unexpected, at such a moment I He resembled
Turenne in his death as he appears to have done in his cha
racter and disposition, but more fortunate than Turenne, or
than any man who ever lived, perhaps, in this respect — that
while others, however great and good they may have been,
were forwarding the views of an ambitious master or them
selves, at best providing for the welfare of a particular State,
Moreau's ^ was the cause of all raankind, and the blessings of
all ages and of all nations will be upon him to the end of tirae.
I believe it is the first time that such a situatlou has been
vacant since the -world began. It requires a Buonaparte to
' The Countess Bruhl.
^ Jean Victor Moreau was one of the most celebrated of the Generals of the
French Eepublic, and was born in 1763. He had been at the early age of thirty-
two, Commander-in-Chief of the army of the Rhine, shortly afterwards, however,
he was expatriated by Buonaparte, probably through his fear of finding in him a
successful rival; he retired to America, whence in 1813 he was summoned by the
allies and more especially by Russia. At Prague he found the Emperors of Austria
and Russia with the King of Prussia, all of whom received him with great cordi
ality, and he was induced to aid them against his countrymen. Soon afterwards
while conversing with the Emperor Alexander on horseback in the battle before
Dresden, a cannon ball which passed through his horse, shattered his legs, and
after suffering two amputations, with great fortitude, he died universally esteemed
and regretted by those whom he had joined.

"• -"''J -^ir IVilliam Maynard Gomm. 327
jnoduce it, and no one living was perhaps more worthy to fill
it than Moreau. We have heard nothing yet of the cargo of
mednls, etc., that have been .^hipped off" to us in this p.irt of
the world, but I believe they are on their way. I find they
have MS yet only extended their favours a.s far as Salamanca.
I should think, therefore, that the high road through Vittoria
and the crooked path up to San Sebastian would lead some of
US very near to a cross.
' I find you had received my letter of the 9th ju.st before
you closed your last. You shall hear from me again the
moment anything takes place, but we shall act a very subordi
nate part upon the left, whenever it is to be.' . . .
'Bidart: Decemlor 2, 1813.
' 1 liavc just received your letter congratulating me upon
Henry's promotion. I assure you I look for as many cou =
gratulations on this event as people in general do on their own
account, for I do not know any piece of good fortune that
could possibly fall to my lot at this moment that would be
half so gratifying to me as this promotion of Henry's. It is
so desirable a point to have gained on so many considerations,
and 1 perfectly agree with you iu expecting that this jiiece of
Bucecss will be followed up by the complete cure of his wound,
as 1 do in thinking that it may have beeu retarded by the
sus|)ense and an.xiety occiisioncd by his disappointment in the
first instance. . . . Since I wrote to you last he is gone to
Passages, and waits the decision of the medical board to enable
him to go to Bilbao. . . .
' We are all quiet here since I last wrote to you, excepting
such as go in quest of adventures, and under this form, fui
munque d^vtre pris ; in plniu English, I ought to have been
taken the other day- There is a village calkd Biarritz a little
in our front, which neither tbe French nor ourselves have had
the heart to occupy as a cantonment, although neither party-
have scrupled to forage upon it as long as it was worth a
straw. Our cavalry on this occasion made a heavier draft
upon the village than usual, and I thought the fourrage

328 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
afforded me a good opportunity for a reconnaissance. How
ever, the jealousy of the foe was excited. The cavalry rode
in, as they term it, and the foragers were put to confusion,
and I for a few minutes was in a scrape, and had not my
horse shown that he had legs enough for some half-dozen or
more of French Dragoons, I should very probably have been
groaning In durance vile at this raoraent, in place of lolling in
an arm-chair over a roaring fire telling you the story. I
promise you, forage is all gone In Biarritz.
' The people have al] returned to their houses, and appear
perfectly well satisfied with their guests, which, considering
that we are not of their own Inviting, is raore than we have a
right to expect.
' Tell aunt she need be under no apprehensions about my
French. What stock I have of it I flatter myself I shall
preserve tolerably pure, in spite of the Gascon. You may
tell her, too, by way of encouragement, that I have Madame
de Sevign^, Racine, and Moliere constantly at my elbow, and
that if she does not think the charm powerful enough yet, I
can bring the gravity of a Montesquieu Into the balance — as
sound, I believe, in his French as in his doctrines.'
'Bidart: December 15, 1813.
' It has been quite impossible for me to write you a line
until this rainute, and I ara afraid ray letter will hardly be in
time to keep pace with the despatch, which I ara the more
anxious it should do, as you will most probably learn that I
have been slightly hurt In the scuffle, and I wish you to be
assured in the first instance from myself how very slightly It
is. I cannot give you a stronger proof of it than by telling
you that although I was struck early on the 9th, I was not
only able to keep my place during the whole of that day, but
to return to it on the two following days, which were much
more trying ones, and I do not feel myself at all the worse for
the exercise I was obliged to take during this time. The
musket ball, with whose progress I happened to interfere,
passed through the fore part of my saddle and glanced off

Mt. 29.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 329
upon my left side below the hip bone, and although it scarcely
did more than cut the skin, it struck with some violence, for
the honest marksman who fired it was not far off. I have, of
course, been stiff and inconvenienced by it since, but nothing
more. I have already saved myself as much as it has been
possible duiing the busy days that succeeded this, and now
there is every prospect of my being able to keep quiet for
some time. I did not give you much reason in my last letter
to expect an alarm of this nature, but I recollect some time
ago preparing you for a busy winter when talking about leave
of absence. ' Poor General Oswald will be sadly disappointed. His
wife is at Bilbao, and he went to see her, in full confidence
that nothing of consequence was about to take place, a very
few days ago.
' ()ur loss has been severe, and, to tell you the truth, I
never have been exposed to so raany risks as during the lOth
and 11th. We fought with very little interruption on both of
these days from sunrise until dark. I think the loss of the
division amounts to nearly 1,400 men. We marched on the
9th with 3,700, so that we have lost considerably over one-
third of our force.
' As I do not think I shall be able to write to the general
immediately, I will give you the outline of our operations
during these days, and it may perhaps interest him till I cau
write more at leisure. On the 9th Lord A\'ellington crossed
the Nive with four divisions of the army, and placed thera
between that river and the Adour. The enemy made little
opposition to this movement, but to favour it the left column
advanced along the great Bayonne road, and the 5th Division
drove the enemy's posts beyond the village of Anglet, which
they held during the day, and enabled Sir .lohn Hope to
make a close reconnaissance of the town, and its defences on
tliis side. In the evening we returned to our fonner position.
Early on the 10th Soult attacked the centre of the army at
Arcangues with its right upon the Nive, but the right division
repulsed all his attacks. He then collected by aU accounts

330 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1813.
between 20,000 and 30,000 raen in our front, and endeavoured
to force us upon the great road. He made two spirited
attacks, but was repulsed in both. He, however, kept posses
sion of some ground which it was necessary we should recover.
This was attempted on the morning of the 11th, but the enemy
had increased his force, and it was with difficulty we could
hold the ground upon the day before. During these last two
days the 5th Division, alone with two Portuguese brigades,
sustained every attack upon the great road.
' On the 12th a skirmish took place which ought to have
been avoided, and in which the Guards lost sorae raen. Both
arrales remained in their positions, but during the night Soult
withdrew from our front, and on the following morning
attacked the right of the army between the Nive and Adour,
at St. Pierre, where he was completely beaten, and we gained
several important positions, which have enabled us to command
the course of the Adour, and cut off the supplies from Bayonne,
except such as are sent by the roads on the other side of the
river, which are alraost irapassable. The French loss has been
very great on this last day ; the country, being open, enabled
Sir Rowland Hill to follow up his success : on our side the
reverse, covered with wood and intersected with hedges and
ditches, very like the most cultivated parts of England.
' On the morning of the 10th three German battalions came
over to us. Soult has disarmed all those who remain. We
are now strengthening our position in front of Bidart, but I
think Soult will remain on the defensive for some time. The
French fought with more spirit than usual on these days, and
the country enabled them to carry on that species of warfare
in which they excel. I am happy the 7th Division has beeu
all this tirae in reserve, because Henry will have no reason to
regret his being absent from it. He must have arrived at
Bilbao some days ago, but I have not heard from him since he
left Passages. My poor little Phantom was hit In the leg on
the 11th and is quite lame, but I am in hopes a few days' rest
will bring him about again. I am fortunately well mounted
at this moment. Herries is always with the column, and is

.1.1. L^y.] Sir IVilliam Maynard Go7ni7t. 331
much flattered at your recollecting hira. He has escaped
through the whole business like a very lucky fellow. \\'e
have been very fortunate in our weather in these fighting
days, for we have had very little rain.' '
'Bidart: Christmas D:iy, 1813.
' The mail is made up earlier this week than usual, and I
am taken by surprise. Scarcely time to wish you all as merry
a Christmiis as we mean to pass, and to express my ici^ret
thiit 1 am not able to pass it with you all, but I tru:*t there
are still many such in reserve.
' My stiff flank has been most accommodating since I gave
you an account of the trick that wa.s played upon him. I
have been able to pay him many little attentions in return for
the respite he gave me after being so roughly handled, and
thev have had the desired effect; so that the only inconveni
ence now remaining is the habit of feeling rather cramped iu
my movements which a few days will be sufficient to remove.
' 1 have just got a letter frora Henry fiom Bilbao. He
gives an excellent account of himself, and says that his
wound is everything but healed. 1 wrote to him immediately
after the late />V(rv;,s-. . . .
' They are going to give me a medal for San Sebastian.
This, with Vittoria, will give me the cross. I am fortunate
in having missed none of those occasions for which medals
have been struck since my rank enabled me to benefit by it.
' To understand thise battles of December, 1813, one must study the detailed
history of the war. It is sufficient here to bring to the mind of the reader of these
letters that Bayonne was cmisidered by Nupuloou aud Soult as one of the great
bulwarks of I'Vaucc, and it was to render it unttiiable by the oiioiny that
Loi'd Wellington advanced tu tlic banks of the .\dour. Soult on the other
hand was mfjer to drive the Allies baok into .'^pain, and hence the continual
series of battU.s from the 9tJi to the 13th. During those davs the luss of the Allies
WHS 6,000, among whom vvtre 280 officers. Napier says that the battle of St.
Pii>rre, fought on the 13th, wivsonc of the most desperate in the whole war. Lord
Wollington deolan-d that he had never seen a field so thickly strewn with dead.
Five general officers ou the side of the British were among the casualties, viz.,
ilope, Robinson, Barnes, Le Cor, and Ashworth. It is not tu be wondered at,
therefore, that Colonel (lOmm s;i_vs that he wa^ never exposed to so many
risks as during those eventful days.

332 TJie Earlier Letters and Jou7mals of [1813.
I do not know what they will make of this last business, but
as far as we were concerned I am not sure that it was not a
greater trial to the constitution, moral and physical, than any
of the others. I long to see Lord Wellington's account of it,
for I believe it is generally thought that our soldiers were as
tenacious of their estate as usual  By-the-bye, my
Biarritz adventure, which happened some days before, was by
no raeans a coup perdu. I do not know what I should have
done with the division on the 9th had I not joined In this pre
datory excursion.
' I saw Dallas an hour ago. He is in excellent spirits,
quite easy, and not only by his own account, but by those of
the raedical people, doing extreraely well. My poor little
Phantora is nearly recovered ; but I have not been able to
ride hira yet. Adieu I All is quiet now, and likely to con
tinue so.' ¦Arbonne: January 15, 1814.
' I ara now quite well, and have got completely rid of all
stiffness. You will perceive that we have changed our
quarters. Soult has been making some movements on our
right which have occasioned us to extend in that direction, and
certainly we are not gainers by the move, for it has thrown us
into a sad hole. Our position is the same that the Light
Division defended on the lOth. I have letters from Henry.
He does not yet report bis wound as beiug closed ; but the
rest and attention he is able to give it at Bilbao must certainly
turn to good account  Your two last letters confirraed
my suspicions that two of raine, written shortly after the pas
sage of the Nivelle, raust have been lost in the packet that
was taken some time ago. In one of them I begged you to
send me in a letter a yard or two of medal ribbon. They
have been very sparing of it in their distribution of favours,
and it is not to be procured here. I have promised half of
what you send me to a friend of mine, a Portuguese colonel,
who wears a cross, and wears it so eternally, that his ribbon
Is wearing out, and I believe he had rather barefoot than
ribbonless.

KI. 20.] Sir William li/ayjiard Gomm. t,2>3)
' We are all anxiously looking out for the next arrivals.
Lord Castlereagh's mission looks as if we were all serious.
Everything relating to the Prince of Orange has given me
very great satisfaction, as well on public as private considera
tions. I trust we shall yet see other revolutions accom
plished.' ¦ Arbonne : January 24, 1814.
' Soult has just withdrawn some of his outposts from our
front, and fixed them nearer the town. I believe he has sent
away part of his array, for what purpose we learn not.'
' Arbonne : February 6, 1814.
' We have been doing nothing on either side since I wrote
to you. If people who had alternately lived in palaces and
hovels during the last five or six years, and frequently wanting
both, were likely to be affected in spirits by bad housing, we
should be the most woebegone people in the world at this
moment, but we are either philosophic or insensible as far as
this regards us.
' The Due d'AngoulSme's arrival among us has given rae
very great pleasure.
' I trust that before six months have passed we shall see
Louis XVIII. fixed upon the throne of France with the same
pretensions that the first Bourbon had to it, " et par droit de
naissance, et par droit de conqiiete ; " the first is inseparable
from his person, and the other, I think, we shall contrive
araong us to obtain for him. I never despaired of this when
things looked most ruinous.
' I have not heard from Henry for some days. I am much
afraid that the enemy having withdrawn great part of their
force from Bayonne will lead him to suspect that we shall
shortly make a forward movement, and will be the means of
bringing him up to the army. I do all I can to dissuade him
from it, and no one will think him wise if he does it.
' Sir James Leith's appointment has given me the greatest
satisfaction. It is one of those instances in which we see high
qualifications joined to eminent services justly appreciated and

334 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1814.
rewarded. Perhaps Sir James may a short time hence have
it in his power to be of use to me in the recovery of my posses
sions in the west ; if so, I shall not spare him.'
'Arbonne: February 13, 1814.
' I find we are no longer suffered to frank letters at the
Quartermaster-General's Office ; and, in addition to this
grievance, I have just learnt that poor Major O'Neale, to
whom I addressed all my packets for you, is dead. I am,
therefore, under the necessity of sending you this by the direct
post. 'You will be glad to hear that Henry has at length
determined upon going to England. We are expecting to
move immediately ; but I hope this will not change his deter
mination, for he appears to be in a very unfit state to accom
pany us.
' If the reports from the interior for the last two or three
days have any foundation, the Allies must be now at the gates
of Paris. I hope In a few days we shall be nearer to them
ourselves.' ' Arcangues : March 3, 1814.
' Since I last wrote to you the army has been making
sorae movements of importance. A bridge has been thrown
over the Adour near its mouth, and the greater part of the
left column are now investing the citadel of Bayonne. We
have been for several days occupying the positions between
the Nive and Adour, and have now an extended line from the
great road to St. Jean de Luz, to the Nive.
' Lord Wellington has been making considerable progress
with the right and centre of the army, and has gained some
brilliant advantages over Soult.' You will, I have no doubt,
receive accounts of many sanguinary conflicts that have never
taken place, before the authentic reports reach you ; but I
' During the latter part of February, 1814, Lord Wellington had traversed
with his right wing about eighty miles of country and driven the enemy over the
numerous branches of the Adour, forcing him out of his magazines at Dax,
Mont Marsan, and Aire, and gained the battles of Orthes and Aire.

MT. 29.] Sir JVilliam Maynai'd Gomm. 335
must warn you on these occasions not to consider us as being
implicated, for they seera disposed to give us a very ea.iy time
of it during the siege, and I am not sorry for it. So much
has fallen to our share lately that another siege at this moment
would almost exterminate our little division.
' I shall be happy to hear that Henry has reached the end
of his journey, and is within range of a little of your nursing.
' The weather, which was very fine when we began our
movements, and continued so for .some days after, has again
broken, and high winds and heavy rain.« are once more the
order of the day.
' We are anxious to know what is doing in the neighbour-
hood of Paris, for we understand that in spite of Buonaparte's
victories over them, the allies are in the suburbs. I hope the
report 1 saw the other day in one of the French papers of the
Count Woronzow having been made prisoner is of a [liece with
the rest 
' Thank you for the ribbon and the bill ; the Portuguese
colonel is delighted with the former, I had rather he would
take a fancy to the other.' 'Biarritz: April 10, 1814.
' Poor Henry will be ve.xed and gratified to hear that his
brigade, and particularly the 6th Regiment, have been per
forming a very handsome piece of service lately on the right
bank of the Garonne. AVe have not yet heard of Lord Wel
lington's entering Toulouse, but it is probable he has. Ac
counts from Bordeaux state that the .\llies entered Paris on
the 31 si, and that General Bubna was iu possession of Lyons,
but that in neither had the white flag been displayed. Here
we are as quiet as people threatening to besiege a town can be.
I believe the siege has not yet been fully determined upon.
The bad weather, I am In hopes, has all passed away, and we
are besinning during these last few davs reallv to believe that
we are In the south of France.' 'Biarritz: .\pril 17. 1814.
' You will be glad to hear that we had last night a commu
nication from the Governor of Bayonne, in which he proposes

336 The Earlier TMters and Journals of [1814.
a suspension of hostilities until a fuller confirmation of all the
great events that have recently taken place at Paris shall have
reached hira ; an address to him from the Provisional Govern
raent Is hourly expected. He adds that It is to be regretted
that we did not coramunlcate to him earlier the information
that had reached us officially several days ago, as it would have
prevented the sortie made from the town on the morning of
the 14th.
' Would to God it had been comraunicated in spite of form,
although a most proper forra ; for there are cases, extraordi
nary ones, which justify and even dictate the breach of order,
and this was one. We should not then have had to laraent
Sir John Hope wounded and made prisoner, poor Herries
wounded by his side, and also a prisoner. General Hay killed
— the man who had so often commanded us on fortunate occa
sions, and for whom I had so high a respect and regard, whose
wife and three daughters had just completed a journey over
land from Lisbon, and had arrived at this place only three days
before. Upwards of 600 raen and an unusual proportion of
officers of distinction killed, wounded and prisoners. The
eneray would also have been spared a very severe loss, per
haps the subjects of Louis XVIII. Herries's ' wound is
serious ; his leg is broken by a grape-shot. I heard from him
yesterday ; he tells me he is doing well, and they are in hopes
of saving the leg. I am sorry to say he gives a better account
of himself than any of his friends do for hira. I had little
to say to this business, the attack being made on the side of
the citadel ; what they did on this side was raerely by way of
diversion. AVe are expecting to hear of Soult's following the
example of Ney and Marmont. We have, however, heard
nothing of hira, since he was beaten out of Toulouse by Lord
Wellington.' ' Biarritz: April 22, 1814.
' I told you in my last letter that our governor had agreed
to a cessation of hostilities. Soult has since made bis arrano'e-
' Captain of the 0th Dragoons, afterwards Lieut.-General Sir AVilliam Heiries
K.C.H., C.B.

jm. 29.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 337
ments with the Provisional Government, and I should think
the gates of Bayonne would be open to u.s immediately. Since
my last account poor Herries has lost his leg. I expected it ;
but he is doing well, and is well taken care of. The public
accounts will show you that 1 made light of our loss on that
occasion, but 1 find I did so too with regard to that of the
enemy. I feel a sort of savage satisfaction in this, which pro
bably would not belong to me if I were myself more personally
concerned. ' So these big wars are drawing fast tow.inls their close. I
do not know whether every one has been affected in the same
manner with myself by late events, but I declare that from the
moment I heard of the decided turn affairs had taken at Paris,
1 have felt as if some piece of gVeat good fiirtune had befallen
me, something that was to brighten the prospect of all my
future life ; and certainly if all expect the same result that I
do from the re-establishment of the French monarchy and the
revival of old institutions in France, all must have iolt in the
same way. I think the restoration of France to order, and to
its proper political place among the commonwealths of Europe, is
hke the redemption of raan frora a second Fall. But they say
Talleyrand is gone over to Enghmd to fetch the king. I am
afraid he has too much of the corkscrew in mind as well as in
body (if the tailors of Blan-itz report faithfully), too much
hackneyed in the ways of men, to become in good earnest the
Mayenne of his day — " le meilleiir snjrt du plus juste des
princes." I hope the ministers have taken an opportunity of
searching his pockets for old scraps of Voltaire, Helvetius,
Diderot, D'Alembert, Rousseau, etc.. a whole tribe of necro
mancers or madmen, whose names I dare say you have never
heard, and whose works I trust you never will read. Should
they be successful I wish you would prevail upon your friends
at Court to shove one volume of Edmund Burke's works into
the King of France's side pocket; it will charm away the
fiends, and will teach him how to govern his kingdom too ; for
although I do not think that what Burke required of France
could have been done at the time he ^ ished it, I think it can
z

338 The Earlier Lettei^s and Journals of [1814.
now, and that there never was, or will be, a moment so favour
able as this.' To Sir Howard Douglas. 'Biarritz: April 24, 1814.
' Although I have been well aware how gratifying it would
be to you to receive some account of our poor friend Herries,
in addition to the public ones, I have delayed writing to you
for sorae days past, in the hope that the events taking place in
all other quarters would before now have obtalued for us a
free coramunication from Bayonne, and that I should have
been able to have had an Interview with him before I wrote.
Our governor, however, does not yet consider himself autho
rised to desert the Imperial cause. Official comraunications
are hourly expected, both frora the Government and from
Soult, which will, no doubt, point out his duty and his Interest
in terms sufficiently unequivocal to bring him to a decision. In
the meantime all hostilities are at an end.
' I suppose you know the nature of Herries' wound. He
was with Sir John Hope in the morning the garrison made the
sortie ; bis leg was broken by a grape-shot, and, as I feared,
has since been amputated. The last accounts we have
from the town state that he is doing well, and is well taken
care of. Among other circumstances attending this unlucky
business (for it might have been prevented) there is nothing
that has vexed me half so much as this unfortunate blow upon
poor Herries ; for he is a young man that ought not to have
been mairaed so early in life, and by the last ball the enemy
has hurled at us. But I dare say he will bear it with much
more teraper than I could do. It is a pity we did not think fit
to comraunicate to the governor the official intelligence we had
received two days before of the entrance of the Allies into
Paris, and all the circumstances attending It. It Is to be sup
posed that this piece of justice, I think, towards the governor,
and of policy In our character of besiegers, would have pre
vented a loss of about eight hundred and fifty to ourselves, and
somethino; more to the French.

MT. 2!i.] Sir William Maynard Gom7n. 339
' The battle of Toulouse will have given a bright close to
the career of Lord AVellington. It appears to have been one
of the most hartJly-contested actions of the whole war.' '

'Biarritz: May 1, 1814.
' Our governor has at length condescended to do like the
rest of the world, and the white standard has displaced the tri
colour up(m the walls of the citadel. Everything is now
setthid at Bayonne, although the form of a blockade is still
continued on our part, and it is only by jiarlicular favour that
we can gain admittance into the town. I went in yesterday
chiefly for the puriiose of seeing my poor friend Ilerries. I
found him as I expected — rauch redmed but easv, and his
wound doing reraarkably well since the aiiqmtation. He
assured rae he was quite reconciled: and I believe him, for he
has a mind full of resource. He made rae ashamed of my un-
|)hilosoi)liie. way of looking at things ; but I trust I shall be
less irritable should the case ever ajiply to myself.
'I am in hopes T shall have frequent opportunities of get
ting Into Bayonne ; he h;is liberty to leave it, but he is so well
taken care of that he is not at all impatient.
' I iini just returned from attending a very pleasant cere
mony performed this morning in the church of this village,
and in village pomp — the thanksgiving for the restoration of
Louis XVIII. The white banner consocraled, and the names
of Henri Quatre, and the long lino of kinos pronounced with
rapture from the pulpit, was quite to my taste. The people
are all delighted at the ehaiioe, the army alone are sulky ;
and upon my word those who take only a narrow view of their
' The battle of Toulouse was fought on April 10. when a general attack upon
the town was made by the Allies. At it.s close tlie .¦illied tmops were established
ou three sides of Toulouse, and arrangements were made for a further advance j but
on the night of the 11th the French retired, leaving three generals and 1,600 men
prisoners. The total loss of the Allies was GiHi killed and 4,000 wounded. The
following day Ijord Welliiiiiton entered Toulouse, and the Bourbon white fl:ig was
h.iisted. It was not till the following day, the 13th. that (^ol. Cooke brought to
Lord Wellington intelligence of the events which had occurred in Paris on the 7tk.
Hostilities were not, however, actually suspended till the 17th.
z 2

340 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1814.
own interests may have some reason. We have not a small
portion araong our own people of the sarae description, who
laraent deeply the fall of " their best friend," as he was called.
We have two or three mails due from England ; I wish they
would arrive. V/e understand that Louis XVIII. was In
London so late as the 16th. The people are very anxious to
hear that Bonaparte is safely landed, and fast chained in the
Isle of Elba. I wonder they did not fix upon Stromboli for
his abode ; the man and the mountain would faithfully repre
sent each other, and the stormy elements of the moral and
physical natures would harmonise in a way worthy the atten
tion of poets and philosophers.
' They give us no hint about embarkation yet. I shall try
to make a tour by Toulouse and Bordeaux before I see you.'
'Biarritz: May 15, 1814.
' I received your letter of the 25th of last month, enclosing
one from Henry several days ago, and thank you for the inte
resting account you give me of the reception of the King of
France in London. I hope his entree since Into his own capi
tal has been attended with greetings still more enthusiastic.
Henry's account of himself is tolerably good, although he con
fesses he is not quite up to all the gaieties with which you
would, araong you, seduce him. He must have learnt by this
time that bis regiment Is embarked, and, I believe, has sailed
for Canada. I hope, however, he will not be In any hurry to join
thera. My own regiment, and about twenty others, are, I
believe, going to overwhelm the States. I should be well
pleased to accompany them on the staff if I did not think that
everything would be settled with America before they arrive
there, and I had rather be spared the mere voyage. . . . They
do not yet begin to talk of erabarking us. I should think,
though, it could not be delayed long.' . . .'
' At the end of March the Allied armies had entered Paris, and on April 6
Napoleon had abdicated, and had selected the island of Elba as the place of
his retreat. On April 13 Monsieur, the brother of Louie, had entered Paris
in state, and on the 23rd he ratified with the Allied Powers a convention for the

MI. 20.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 341
•Biarritz: Way 23, 1814.
• I am going to try an experiment in sending this by way
of Paris. I think it is likely to make the journey quicker
than going by the high seas.'
• Poor General Benson I His unexpected death, though it
hardly ought to have been so, will deprive me of one of the
greatest pleasures I had promised myself on my return to
England ; for there are many questions on which I am sure
he would have been curious, and on some of them I should
have been able to give hira the information he required.
' Lord Wellington ji.issed through Bayonne last Thursday,
on his way to Madrid ; he proposes being with us again in
about three weeks.
'Sir John Hope^(I cannot help calling people by their
old names you see I) and Ilerries are embarked, but the vessel
has not yet been able to get over the bar, owing to the per-
verseness of the wind. Ilerries is doing as well as possible.
suspension of all hostilities. On the following day Louis XVIII. crossed tho
Ohannol and landed at Calais, and on May 3 made his solemn entrance into the
ca|iital; the sumo day witnessed the arrival of the dethroned Emperor at his
island in an English frigate. The formal treaty uf peace between France and the
Allied Powers — Austria, Russia, Great Britain, and Prussia — was proclaime<.l at
Paris on May 31, an article binding the Powers engaged in the late war to send
within two months plenipotentiaries to Vienna, in order to regulate in a general
congress tho iimiiigements for completing the dispositions of lhe treaty. The
causeless and unhappy war iu America alone continued; and in onler to prosecute
it with increased energy, a considerable number of the English troops which had
been engaged in the Peninsular War wore embarked at Bordeaux direct for
America without even being allowed to return home ; this was not concluded till
the end of the year. Provision was made by Parliament for the Duke of Welling
ton, and on July 1 he made a formal visit to the House of Commons, and the
Speaker read to him a congratulatory address. The treaty of peace was not
communicated to the Houses of Parliament till July 28. Thus the great war
seemed to have come to a complete conclusion. There is no instance in modern
history of the termination of a long war by a treaty which was so generally
approved as this was. The long protraction and excessive burdens of the war had
rendered all impatient to see its close, and the announcement was hailed with
universal pleasure.
' The post mark shows tho letter reached England on June 2.
» Sir John Hope, G.C.B., colonel of the 42nd Regiment, had for his gallant
achievements in the war been ele vated to the peerage by the title of Baron Xiddiy
He afterwards, in 181 7, on the death of his half-brother, succeeded to the Earldom
of Hopeloun.

342 The Earlier Letters a7id Jour-nals^ of [1814.
' They have sent us out our Vittoria clasps. I am longing
for the St. Sebastian cross to make its appearance, for mine is
a very gaudy trinket as it stands at present, and requires a
little consolidating.' 'Biarritz: June 12, 1814.
' The army Is embarking ; we expect our turn will come
about July 1. We are then to start from Passages. We are
passing a stupid time of it en attendant. I wished to go to
Bordeaux for a fortnight ; but my General is unaccom
raodating, and tells me I might as well think of going to Nova
Zembla, although there is nothing — positively nothing — to
do. . . .' 'Biarritz: June 23, 1814.
' . . . I suppose the troops here will be embarking in
about a fortnight ; there is but little chance, I am afraid, of
their point of embarkation being changed to Bordeaux, and as
my crusty chieftain is determined to keep me at his elbow
till they do embark, I shall probably go up to Bordeaux after
seeing them off at Passages, and very likely be in England
before them ; for the voyage frora Passages is generally long.'
'Bordeaux: July 11, 1814.
' I think I shall surprise you with a letter from Bordeaux,
having given you in my last letters such little reason to expect
I should ever be able to make ray escape from Biarritz until
the period of transportation arrived ; however, ray General,
who Is a very kind, good man, began at last to think we were
leading a very sluggish life ; and, as you did not seem to be in
a hurry to send for us from England, he gave me leave to do
as I pleased. I have, therefore, been here five days, and am
much pleased with the place. The town is very large and
handsome ; there are a number of fine private houses in it ;
but, excepting the cathedral and the theatre, which is one of
the finest pieces of architecture in Europe, it contains no public
buildings that can pass for sights. The Garonne is mag
nificent, and at this raoment crowded with shipping. I am

m. 29.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 343
fortunate in the time of my arrival; for, although the days
of feasting and rejoicing are over, the return of the Due
d'Angouleme, who is on his way to Toulon, has set the town
alive for me. They appear really very glad to see him, and
cry " Vive le Roi ! " with all their hearts. I have also found
a great treat in the theatre : there are two performers playing
here at present who cut a figure on the Parisian stage — a
M. Joanny and Mdlle. Georges, who, if not the most excel
lent, seems to be by far the most notorious actress they have,
owing to her intimacy with Bonaparte when he played the
part of Emperor. She is a very large, handsome woman, and
rants divinely ; but when she forgets to rant, I think she is
sometimes as fine. The other night I thought she was some-
times quite the Ph^dre Racine imagined ; and at others, and
much oftener, a raving madwoman with a strong voice, railing
at all the men and women perched up at the top of the house.
I shall, notwithstanding, go to see her as often as she chooses
to play. I shall remain here till there is a probability of our
embarking ; I shall then, I believe, be obliged to return to
Bayonne.' ' Hfitel de Valois, Euo de Uiiholieu, Paris: August 5, 1814.
' We reached Paris only the day before yesterday.
Babylon the great surpasses hitherto in every respect the idea
I had formed of it. You cannot expect any details from me
in this letter respecting Paris ; and although I feel, while
sitting down to write, as if I had a volume to te!l you, I should
feel also, if I began, as if I were describing to you a magnifi
cent dream that had held me in enchantment for several days
and niffhts ; and I am anxious to see more before I can write
with the confidence of a pei-son who is conscious that he is
describing realities and not phantoms of the brain.
? Our journey through the country was delightful ; we
passed tlirough some of the most beautiful and, to an English
man, certainly the most interesting provinces of France. The
Touralne is called the Garden of France. The whole course
of the Loire, from Toui-s to Orleans, is one scene of delight.

344 The Earlier Letters and Joui^nals of [1814.
Poictiers, Blols, Orleans, need only be named to excite in us
proud recollections, and recall most interesting periods in the
history of modern Europe ; and the impression is naturally
more lively when visiting these places.
' Our visit to the Castle of Blois was romantic enough.
We could only arrive In tirae to carry it into execution by
moonlight ; but the sombre majesty of the building, and the
high story connected with it, render it at least as fit an object
to be contemplated by moonlight as old Melrose. We have
been by no means Idle since our arrival here. We have
established ourselves in au hotel garni for a guinea and a
half a week each ; this, considering that we are in the best
part of the town and the most convenient for our purposes, is
not very ruinous.
' We yesterday took a general survey of the Louvre, or
the Palace of Armida — I hardly know which ; we go there
again in half an hour, and when I write again I shall tell you
raore about it. I have been twice to the TheS,tre Fran9ais ;
the Opera, I understand, is the raost splendid spectacle in
Paris, but I confess I should have done a violence to ray
inclinations had I not paid ray first tribute of respect to the
other. Last night they gave "Les Horaces." Duchenois
played Caraille divinely ; and although the other characters
were generally well supported, and soraetlraes admirably (par
ticularly that of old Horace by St. Prix), and the third and
fourth acts even with great spirit, one cannot help thinking
upon what might have been. Talma is absent, and I much
fear will not return before I leave Paris ; judge my despair.
' I called upon Sir Charles Stuart iraraediately, and I dine
with him to-day. Henry talks of going out to America
immediately ; I hope soraething will occur to prevent him. I
think he will be very, very wrong.' . . . 'Paris: August 18, 1814.
' . . . It Is lucky that I had determined to remain in Paris
till the end of the month, or I should probably have lost the
opportunity of seeing Henry altogether ; for I propose going

MT. 20.] Sir IVilliam Maynai'd Gomm. 345
to Calais by the way of Valenciennes and LiUe, and, should he
have followed his plan of leaving London immediately, I may
expect hira to drop in every hour.
' He gives me a very agreeable piece of intelligence — I
mean the chance of my getting a lieutenant-colonelcy in the
Guards. I own I am rather anxious about it since I received
his letter, for 1 ara not very well pleased with ray situation in
the 9th ; the return of the unfortunate major who had been so
long prisoner in France has thrown me sadly into the back
ground. At all events, whether I succeed iu this instance or
not, the Duke of York's kind intentions towards me are
sufficiently manifested.
' I was presented last IVIonday at the Court by Sir Charles
Stuart. The Royal Family appear to give great sati.sfaeiion
among all ranks. I should think the King and Duchess
d'Angouleme would gain In the affections of the people every
day.' 'Paris: August 26, 181 I.
' I hope to be with you before the 3rd or 4th September.
I begin to grow very anxious to set footing once more upon
English ground, and I need not tell you with what alacrity, I
shall make my way to John Street when once on terra frma.
' Pray thank my friends for their congratulations whenever
you have an opportunity. The Duke of York's tenderness to
me on this as on every other occasion almost exceeds belief.
I think I shall be allowed to spend a few weeks with you
previous to joining my battalion, and upon these conditions I
shall be delighted with my new quarters.'

346 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.

CHAPTER XVL
1815.
Knkjht Commandee of the Bath — Kapoleon's Escape feOm Elba —
Bbussels — Appointed to Staff — Quaetbbmastbe-Genbral op 5th
Picton's Division— Quatre Beas— Wateeloo — Diary of the Cam-
PAKJN AND March to Paris — Note on the Diary written Fifty
Yeaes afterwards — Waterloo Jottin(js — On Claims of 52nd Rbgh-
mbnt to have rbpulsbd thb imperial guard — death of his
Beothbe and Sister — Finis.
The beginning of the new year brought to Colonel Goram
an unexpected distinction and title, but certainly well merited
by his good service iii so many campaigns.
It may well excite the envy of many in these quieter days
to see the young officer of thirty years of age, his breast
covered with medals and clasps, who, having begun in a line
regiment, was now lieutenant-colonel in the Coldstream
Guards,' and a Knight Commander of the newly reorganised
Order of the Bath.
The year 1815 opened in what appeared to be perfect peace
throughout the civilised world, the treaty with America having
been signed at Ghent before Christmas ; audit seeraed as if the
household brigade to which Sir William Gomm now belonged
would have nothing more startling to perform than the sup
pression of London riots, which chiefly consisted in small parties
of roughs who went about the streets shouting for the Corn
Bill, and smashing the windows of such of the Ministry as
they conceived to be hostile to their cause. This domestic
bickering was, however, promptly silenced by the startling
' In the London Gazette of August 13, 1814: To be captain of a company
and lieutenant-colonel in the Coldstream Eegiment of Foot Guards, Lieutenant-
Colonel William Gomm, from the 9th Foot. Dated July 25, 1814.

En.ini\utky J.\iei?hBrv\*n,,fHm. jJr:y,:d&rg i:Mnt^J 1,^14.:^:..^ ir. tPj FJsstss:^K,^^

A ^

7^*^,,^

^^Z

Mt. 30.] Sir William May7iard Gomm. 347
news, early in March, that Napoleon had escaped from Elba.
He landed at Cannes on the i.<t with a handful of one thousand
men, and England, Austria, Prussia, and Russia immediately
formed an alliance against him. On March 20 he entered
Paris, which Louis XVIII. had left on the previous day.
During April there were discu.ssions as to the policy to be
pursued by the Allies ; and finally, after a debate in the House
of Commons, the justice of forcibly ilis]iosses8ing him of the
power he had usurped was affirmed by a majority of the House
voting in favour of the war policy, which had already bien
ratified by the pleni[iotentaries of the Allies at \'ienna. By
this time Napoleon had been, by mcims of a military con
spiracy, accepted by the French nation, and the grand conflict
waa now at hand, its scene Belgium and the Low Countries,
the old battlefield of Europe. From the time of the first
alarm reinforcements had been pouring in from England and
Prussia, and at the end of M;iy the Duke of Wellington
arrived to take the supreme command of the ^Mlled armies.
The Coldstreams were among the first of the houseludd brigade
who went over, and Sir William Gomm's fii*st letter to his
sister is dated Ostcnd, M;iy 5, 1815. It is merely to report
his safe crossing. In it he says: 'Tell aunt that Thomas
delivered me Sir Henry Torrens's note on my arrival at
Riimsgate with the sotil for the Duke. This will procure me
an interview with his Grace at least.' •ririKv^els: Maj l.j, 181.5.
' I WHS in hopes of being able to tell you something decisive
relative to the staff. I have been intnguing violently for the
last week, but, although things ai-e at this moment in the best
trim possible, I am not without alarms. ]\Iy pretensions are
allowed their full weight on all hands, and If I am not sacrificed
to some late resolutions levelled against the overalls I shall
succeed, I think. Others have obtained a revocation of the
edict in their favour, and I do not despair.
' The Duke received me very graciously on my presenting
him his insignia of the Bath. He is in excellent spirits. I

348 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
shall reraain here three or four days, and then proceed to
Enghlen if nothing Is decided by that tirae. I find my journey
has agreed with me. The weather has been, and continues,
delightful. I ara getting Into working condition very fast.'
'Brussels: May 25, 1815.
' You will be glad to hear that I have succeeded In my
application for the staff. The Duke of Wellington ap
pointed me yesterday an assistant quartermaster-general, and
although It still requires the Duke of York's sanction, I con
sider myself as firmly seated. I must explain to you why I
say although. When the staff of this army was first formed,
the Duke of Wellington sent home my narae with a particular
recoraraendatlon ; but It was rejected with several others,
because we got into the Guards. However, I suppose they
have thought better of It since at horae, for every one of those
at present in the country situated like rayself has been
appointed notwithstanding the prohibition, and I am now
again recoraraended in consequence of a fresh application
from the quartermaster-general, although Lord Wellington
was inforraed, certainly by mistake, that I had received the
Duke's refusal in person before I left London. So, you see,
I have had some difficulties arising from situation to contend
with besides the competition of others, and nothing but my
eternal presence here, and particularly at this moraent, would,
I believe, have effected it at last. All that the Duke of Wel
lington has done about it, however. Is very flattering to me.
I am not yet attached to any division, but shall be imraediately.
In the meantime I stay here. If the Dawkins' look glum at
you the next tirae you encounter thera lay it to my account,
for I am afraid I arrived just in tirae to cut out the Colonel ;
but I declare I hope his turn will corae next, and perhaps this
is all that can be expected frora flesh and blood nowadays.'
To his Aunt. • Brussels : May 29, 1815.
' I ara not yet attached to any division, but the 5th and 6th
are forraing, and I shall probably be with one of those.

.i:t. .30.] Sir Willia77i Maynard Gomm. 349
' Brussels is very full, and we have no indications of an
immediate raove. The Duke reviews the cavalry to-day in
the neighbourhood of Graramont. It will be a fine military
spectacle, and it has cost rae something to keep out of the way ;
but the distance is twenty miles, the ilay hot, and my horses
wanting rest. Blucher is there. I have not Keen able to
learn whether M. de Clausewitz is with him. Should
he return by lii'ussels I will ascertain tlii.-^, and see hira if
possilile. ' I am not sure whether I have yet told you that the Duke
is living In my old ((uartcrs, >o that you see I made not a li:i<l
choice. 1 am now living at the Conile d'Alegainbie".-, and, if
possihle, better off than before.'

' llrussels; June 13, 18 Li.
. . . ' Since I l:ist wrote to you I have been uttaelied to
the 5th Division (Picton's); it is not certain, however, that I
shall continue with it. This, however, secures me a place in
the world, whenever the iinny moves.
' I have also dined with Sir Charles StiKiit, and had a vi>it
from Ivieliiird since I Avrotc, two cveiils hardly to be looked
for at this hour. Richard is quartered at .Vtli in charge of
money, very little bodily exertion required of him, and there
fore liighlv [ileased with his post. 1 am so pk';i.--aiitlv lodged
here that I shall ho well contented to remain in Brussels till
the campaign opens; but 1 fear wo shall be pushed forward in
a few davs by troops arriving frora England.
' Vou make tender inquiries after my nags ; they are both
well, and 1 have added another to the f\imily since 1 came
herf. ' 1 hope Henry receives benefit from the pure air of Brighton.
I am afraid vour excursion may be costing you some money,
but if aunt does not draw upon Biddulph for fifty pounds of
mine which are alwa\s lying in his drawers it is her own fault :
lell her so. I hope I shall very soon have more at her disposal,
either there or at Greenwood's.'
No other letter was written for six days, and during those

350 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
six days what memorable events happened I As this last letter
of the 13th was being written Napoleon was fast nearing
Belgium; on the 15th he crossed the frontier; on the 16th
the battles of Liguy and Quatre Bras were fought, and on the
18th the battle of Waterloo. How different from the letter of
the 13th June, with Its comfortable quarters and 'nothing
immediately stirring ' is the following raost interesting letter to
his sister, written upon that ever memorable field, while so
sleepy and tired out that he could hardly write, were it not for
the raagnificence of his therae, and his constant solicitude for
the happiness of his dear ones at home. ' Camp of Waterloo, June 19, 1815.
' I know what satisfaction it will give you to learn that I
have been with the 5th Division, and, therefore, in the hottest
of all this " glorious business," and have escaped with two blows
which are of no consequence, and two horses wounded which
is of great consequence.
' The Prussians are marching upon Charlerol, and we move
upon NIvelles immediately.
' I consider the French army as utterly destroyed, and we
shall be iu Paris as fast as our legs can carry us. Tell Aunt
so, and recomraend her to leave off croaking. I ara writinff
this unintelligibly enough, but it would be still worse by word
of raouth at this moment, for I am so hoarse at hurrainar all
¦' O
yesterday, that I can scarcely articulate.
' I have been four days without washing face or hands, but
ara in hourly expectation of ray lavender water, etc. I ara
very tired. Adieu, dear Sophia ; I hope this will reach you
early, for I well know how anxious you all will be about me.
Best love to aunt, Henry, Goully, and all friends. I am
much afraid dear Goully will be called upon to illuminate
ruinously on this occasion. We have done nothing like it
since Blenheim, and the consequences are likely to be far more
important. Adieu once more. Ever your affectionate brother,
'W. M. Gomm.'

m. 30.] Sir William Maynard Go77wi. 351
The following is Sir William's diary of the events of that
time, written while actually on the march to Paris. It is
headed ' Journal of the Operations, etc'
' Journiil of the OjiiTiifioin if the Army under the Duke of
Wellington, from June 1.5 to Augn.^it 8, 181.j.'
' DuiMNO the night of the l.^th the four divisions of the army,
covering the frontier from Mons to Yprcs, and beyond these
fortresses, receive orders to concentrate about their resjicctive
' 'This sketchy iirnl sadly rusty-lonkiiij; memiir, long lain to rest, and
evoked now only by the finlaronnades reei ntly put forth inr tho dreamy consolntmn
of com|KitriotH and tho f?™^" amiispraent of all tho world beside, by those con
summate masters of ficti<]n, Messieurs Vu'lor Hugo and Thiers, was drawn up or
out litiriiUy on the iinirh from W.-iterlmi to I'aris ; anticipating, theref.)rp, any
imssiliility of comparison nr check from other sources of informution, English,
l''reueh, Prussian or Hilgian. And it hus siit i.sfaclory. I recollect, at the time, as
opportunity presented itself for putting tlie narrative to the proof iiy reler.nee to
other documents liciiriiif,' upoi. the same weii,'l:ly m.itter, to fini, that in all
important details ii|iiin which it touebes, it was not ' e.\ii:;ger.iting' in tho lie.it of
exultation, nor 'sottinp; down aught in malice,' and was at mortal variance only
with such versions as have provoked it to break its rest in the pn sent iust.inee.
'It will bo readily perceived that such detail as the report enters into is limited
chielly lo the fortunes of our left of the field — the Freiieli rli;hl fir the very
sufficient reason thai what occurred in this qnarter passed under Ihe immedi.ite
eye of the narrator; the rest gathered, of neei'ssiiy. from competent and irust-
worlhy authorities, likewise personally engaged; and pencil eorrecti.ns (and here
entered ns footnotes), for the most part uuimportanl, will be observed here and
there in the course of perusal.
' But the great attack of infantry on our left, covered by eighty piiees of cannon,
and consisting of d'Erlon's corps of JO.OOO mon, which Bonapvrte nie.int and fully
expected to be as deeisiveof the fitc of the day as Soult's 2il,0()0 launched against
the Prusso-.\uslriaii centre at Austerlitz. pusse.l in the immedi.ite gaze of the
Qunrterniastoi--Cicueral of the British division (the otli), and .isNiiled the three solid
masses advancing (as reported in the narr.itive) in direct iehelon of columns from
their left (Dmutte's division, the 4th, diver,:ed to the attack of the hamlets of
La Have and Papellotto) ; and a mounted officer so disenuMLred from local associa
tion with auy particular section of our line had the i^ire opportunity afforded him
of presenting hiraself at tho repulse of each of the three French columns in sue es-
sion, as recorded in the narrative : and this repulse amounted to nothing short of
the ult«r discomfiture of some l.i.OOO French iiifmtry, liearing forward renowned
caiiles over their heads, and burning for a first meeting with us, by not more than
3, iOl English, the numbers to which the two British Brigades of the diTision
who niarehed out of Brussels in the dawn of the 16th .i.lTO strmj were reduced
by its coiiHicts before the close of that day at Quatre Bras.
'.Vnd trulv, the collective British cheer eflfected more than the levelled bayonet

352 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
head-quarters, at Oudenarde, Graramont, Enghien, Hal, and
the cavalry at NInove ; but the whole wait further orders for
moving. ' Information of the French army having forced the passage
of the Sarabre at Charlerol, on the 14th, reached the British
head-quarters at Brussels only on the evening of the 15th.
' The garrison of Brussels — consisting of two British
brigades of the 5th Division, the 81st Kegiraent, brigade of
Hanoverian militia of the 6th Division, Duke of Brunswick's
corps, Nassau troops — assemble during the night and march
at five o'clock next raorning on the Charlerol road, halting for
two hours in the Bois de Soignies, at Waterloo.
'June 16. — Atone o'clock P.M. move on through Genappeto
Quatre Bras, a post at which the roads from Brussels to Namur
and Charlerol divide ; the road from Namur to NIvelles also
strikes off from the Brussels road at this point, which the
enemy had gained possession of the preceding day, but which
had been re-occupied by the troops of Orange Nassau in the
course of the morning, and by a Belgic brigade, under the
Prince of Weimar.
of such scanty numbers for sending the swarming assailants to the right-about, as
described ; and the staggering surprise of Marcognet's column (the 3rd) at the
moment of the plumage of the heavy cavalry topping the ridge in their face, while
the 42nd and 92nd Highlanders were holding them at bay bordering the Ohain
road, springs up freshly to my vision while I write, and the shoutings that
struck home into the heart of the bewildered masses are ringing in my ear afresh.
' As for the malformation of d'Erlon's columns of attack, chansoned over by
Thiers and others, accounting for their misfortune, it is aU fable ; best accounted
for by the Duke in his letter to Marshal Beresford :— " The French attacked us
in the old style — in column — and were driven oflf in the old style."
' As for Victor Hugo's monstrous chemin creux d' Ohain, and its train of cata
strophes, there was no creux in the whole extent of it, save lhe sandpit at its
junction with the main Namur road, into which the cuirassiers were handsomely
tumbled, heels over head, by our Life Guards.
¦And what shall be said of Thiers' ranting account of the exploits of the French
(juard, and Victor Hugo's shameful one ?
'Both columns were paralysed, and both were beaten back with all their
honours of a host of fields, by the indomitable valour of our own Guard, and
that of their worthy co-operators, not all English, to right and left.
' What a course of exploit to vilify, as these French writers, and others before
them, have not scrupled to do ! ' — Note written by Sir William Gomm. in November
1862.

.TTf. 30.] .Sir IVilliam Maynard Gom77i.

o.-^j

' The enemy is in force about the village of Frasne, half a
league in advance, on the Charleroi road.
' In the meantime the 1st and 2nd Coi ps of the army and the
cavalry are marching upon Quatre Bras, it being sufficiently
ascertained that the enemy is making hih principal attack in
this direction, and not on the side of Mons as was at first
apprehended. ' Two brigades (jf the 4th Division, and one brigade of Ha
noverians, are posted at Hal, to counteract the movement.-, of
a body of cavalry the enemy had detached in tliiit direction,
threatening our right flank.
' The troojis from Brussels arrive at Quatre Bras about
half-past three p.m.
' The enemy Imraediately makes a disposition for att;iek,
with the Ist and 2nd Corps, under Xe\,and a numerous
cavalry under Kellcrraan.
' The British and Hanoverian l)rigade> draw uji in two lines
along the chaussee leading from Quatre Bras to Namur; the
Brunswick infantry to the right of Quatre Bras, u small por.r
tion of light troops occupying the head of the Bois de Bos.su,
in their front. This wood was in some parts intricate, but
passable everywhere for light cavalry.
' The enemy cannonades the light troo]is pnd Belgicc avalry
covering our front, and advances a body of infantry to take
possession of the farmhouse of CTcniioncourt and enclosures, on
the great road, half-way between Les Quatre Bras and the
village of Frasne. This jiost was defended by some of the
troops of Orange Nassau, which were soon driven from it by
the enemy.
' The Duke of Wellington had directed, when the enemy was
making his first disposition for attack, that this house and the
enclosures about it should be immediately occupied by a British
regiment, judging it of great importance to the position that it
should be held. The regiment destined for this service was
otherwise disposed of, and the 28th Regiment (raarched down
too late to establish itself there) was withdrawn and forraed
the right of our position at Quatre Bras.
A A

354 The Earlier L^etters and Journals of [1815.
' The relinquishing of this house and enclosures forms a prin
cipal feature in the detail of this day's operations, since without
the entire possession of it and of the Bois de Bossu, of which
the enemy possessed hiraself at the same time, and with equal
facility, his cavalry would have been held in check the whole
of the day, and bis infantry have been prevented from assuming
the offensive so securely as it did. But our force was, during
several hours, very inferior to that of the enemy, ill composed,
and inadequate to the proper occupation of the whole position.
' The enemy having established himself in the post of
Gemloncourt, advances his infantry, under favour of the copse
and enclosures, to attack our position upon the Namur road,
between Les Quatre Bras and a wood on our extrerae left, oc
cupied by the 95th Regiment. His attacks are vigorous and
repeated, carried on by columns of infantry, covered by a nu
merous body of light troops ; but they are sustained with firm
ness by the two British brigades, under Generals Kempt and
Pack. A heavy cannonade is kept up by both parties during
these operations, which continues for about an hour and a half,
when the eneray, who had hitherto made no impression upon
our post, availing himself of his great superiority in cavalry
(his light troops having possessed theraselves of the Bois de
Bossu), pushes a strong coluran of cuirassiers and lancers with
rapidity up the great road, disperses the Brunswick and Belgic
cavalry, gets possession of the post of Quatre Bras, and turns
the right of the British position ; but the enemy's cavalry is at
this raoraent assailed with so galling and destructive a fire from
the 92nd and Hanoverian regiments posted behind a bank on
the left of Quatre Bras, that they are driven back in great con
fusion and with considerable loss. It was in the early part of
this charge, made by the enemy, that the Duke of Brunswick
feU. ' About six o'clock the 1st Corps, composed of the 1st and
3rd Divisions, reinforce the line ; the 1st Division occupied In
regaining possession of the Bois de Bossu ; the 3rd strengthen
ing our left, and relieving in their post several of our battalions,
which had suffered considerably, or exhausted their ammunition.

.t;t. 30.] .Sir William May7iard Gomm. 355
This was the situation of many regiments on the an-ival of the
reinforcement, and the enemy was observed preparing for a
fresh attack, which was again repulsed, with the assistance of
the troops newly arrived.
* The enemy's cavalry, repulsed frrjni Quatre Bras by the
heavy fire of musketry direeted against it, reforms his columns,
is supported by fresh reserves, and finding no cavalry on our
side capable of holding hira in ehoek, renews his attack iijion
the great road, and threatens the infantry formed in line to
the left of it. The infantry immediately forms squares bv li:it-
talions ; the 42nd Regiment, being Tuneh advanced, suffers
greatly from the fire of the eneinys sharp-shooters iu the
enclosures of Gemloncourt, but repulses the charge of" the
cuirassiers.' ' The 28th Regiment, and a wing of the Royal, formed in
square upon the causeway, and inaccessible (exeept bv one
front) to the approach of cavalry, are ordered by Sir Thomas
PIcton to march down Into the plain and take in flank the
enemy's cavalry which was making an impression on the great
road. ' This square advances with shouts into the middle of the
plain, halts within short rausket range of the cavalry, and opens
a fire upon it, charged repeatedly by the enemy's eiiir.a.«siei-s
and lancers, who are repulsed in every onset. The lancci-s
wound the men in the ranks, but are every time driven baok
with confusion and great loss.
' The 30th Regiment also moves down under the same fonii,
flanks the square above mentioned, and receives with equal
firmness the charge of the French cavalry.
' These attacks of cavalry upon the infantry are continued
till dark, as well as the contest iu the Bois de Bossu. At
length the enemy withdraws from all his points of attack and
resumes his position In front of Fra.sne. The Bois de Bossu
' The 42nd Begiment was charged by the cuirassiers while in the act of forming
in square, but such was the firmness of the troops, that even in an irregular m.i-s
they repulsed the charpe. and by the time the second attack was made upon them
order was re-established.

03''

TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.

and post of Gemloncourt are strongly occupied by British
troops ; the cannonade continues till after dark.
' A heavy cannonade heard on our left the whole afternoon.
The Prussians warmly engaged till long after dark.
' The British cavalry arrives upon the ground at nightfall,
having made a long and very rapid march.
' The two British brigades of the 5th Division lose on this
day 120 officers and 1,400 men.' The brunt of the action fell
upon them.
' The eneray attacked were the 1st and 2nd Corps, under
Ney and D'Erlon, and the cavalry under Kellerraan.^
' Bonaparte directed the attack upon the Prussians, who held
their ground with obstinacy, but are at length obliged to retire
upon Wavre.
' The whole of the British force, engaged for nearly two
hours, did not exceed 4,000 men.
' The two armies remain in presence till 2 o'clock, p.m., but
the British comraences retiring its stores, etc., upon the Brussels
road earlier. By two the whole army is in movement, covered by
the cavalry. The enemy shows no disposition to advance till
the whole have moved off. In the course of the retreat the
enemy makes several charges upon our cavalry with various
success. Our cavalry Is pressed by that of the enemy towards
the close of the day.
' The arpy takes up a position across the great roads leading
from Charleroi and NIvelles to Brussels.
' No baggage, stores, or wounded fall into the eneray's
hands during the retreat,
' A violent storra comes on while the army is taking up its
position, and heavy rain continues the whole of the night and
following morning till near mid-day.
' The position of the army on June 18 was as follows : — On
the left, the 2nd Division of the army of the Netherlands,
extending from the Charleroi road. In front of a lane^ leading
' 1,569, by returns since collected.
= Incorrect information at the moment — the Ist Corps under d'Erlon were kept
marching and counter-marching the whole day.
' Eoad from Nivelles to Ohain.

jjT. 30.J .Sir IVilliam Mayitnrl Gomm. 357
to the village of Sraohain and the hamlet of La Have; the two
British brigades of the 5th Division in seeond line, behind the
lane, its right resting upon the Chaussee, its left crowning a
height behind La Haye; the Hanoverian brigade, 5th Division,
which had joined us from Hal, and that of the 6th Division,
formeil in column on the left of the height, readv to aet in anv
direction; the Netherland trooiis extendinjr .along our front
to the hamlet La Haye, which was occupied; the hussar
brigade encamped at some distance in rear of our left, near
Ter La Haye. This formed the extreme left of the position, and
the cavalry communicated by patrols with the Pru.ssiuiis at
Wavre, distant about two leagues and a half
' Two brigades of artillery covered the front of this jiart of
the position, and a troop of horse artillery took post up<in a
knoll in front of our right flank, above the fannlioiise of La
Haye Sainte.
' To the right of the great road lay the 1st and 3rd l)i\ isions,
the Brunswick Corps, the 2nd Corps of the army, and a large
proportion of the cavalry and artillery. Their position ex
tended in two lines in rear of the house and wood of Hougou
mont, making an angle at that point, the extrerae right retiring
upon a ravine near Merbe Rraine.
' The posts of Hougoumont and Merbe Braine were occupied.
' The whole front of the jiosition covered a space of about
two miles and a half.
' 17. — The enemy takes post in our front, a little before dark,
upon the heights above Plauchenoit. and cannonades the rear
of our column ; but his guns are silenced by the superior fire of
the battery above La Have Sainte.
' The British position, such as it has been described, although
not defective, was not naturally strong, and was iu no part
intrenched ; that of the enemy was more commanding.
' About mid-day\ on the 18tli, the enemy commences a sharj)
skirmish about the house and copse of Hougoumont. and
advances his infantry, supported by several batteries of artil
lery, to take possession of that post; but the 1st Brigade of
Guards, under General Byng, and the troops of the German

358 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815,
Legion, belonging to the 3rd Division, repulse every effort
raade by hira.
' About 2 o'clock the enerayTorras a battery of from twenty
to thirty pieces of cannon, extending along the whole front of
our line, from La Haye Sainte to the height above Smohain,
and, under the protection of its heavy fire, three solid masses of
infantry, coraposed of the 1st and 2nd Corps, under Ney and
D'Erlon, advance with rapidity across the gentle ravine that
separates the two positions, his left column directing its attack
upon the great road, the other two between the great road
and height which formed our left.' The horse artillery are
forced to withdraw their guns after having done dreadful execu
tion against the enemy's column advancing along the road and
to our imraediate left of it. The 95th, Ught troops, and skir-
raishers are forced to withdraw before the French column,
which reaches the top of our position in compact order, the
head of it crossing the lane along which our line'^ had
been originally formed. At this raoraent the 32nd and
79th Regiments, posted on our right, which had retired
some paces, and which had hitherto kept up a destruc
tive fire upon the enemy's column without seeming to shake it,
advanced to the charge with shouts. The column hesitates,
turns, and breaks, hurrying in disorder down the hill,
' It was during this charge that Sir Thomas PIcton fell.
' Throughout the whole of this operation. General Kempt's
brigade was formed in one Hue without any reserve, owing to
the weakness of our force in this quarter, and under these cir
cumstances it charged the eneray's column, which had gained
the height of pur position in compact order.
' The centre column advanced with the same success, and
was routed in like manner by the left of General Kempt's and
right of General Pack's brigade, consisting of the 44th Royal
and 28 th Regiments.
' The eneray's ' right coluran forced the Netherland troops
' This attack was made by the 1st Corps under d'Erlon. The 3rd was with
Grouchy.— W. M. G.
« Of the 5th Division.
' Third column, Durutte's; the 4th was directed against La Haye, etc.

j.i. .30.] .SV;- William Maynard Gomm. 35^^
back in confusion ; afterwards the Hanoverian brigade, which
had lined the hedge on our side of the lane. The enemy's
column reaches the opposite hedge. The 42nd line the hedo-e
the Hanoverians had just quitted. The 92nd (al.-^o in line)
outflanks the coluran by its right. The heaviness of the fire
concentrated upon it causes it to halt and waver. The heavy
brigade of cavalry, consisting of the Greys, Inniskillen, and
1 st Dragoons, charge at this moment, break thn ugh the
column, disperse it with great slaughter, and disperse them
selves in the eagerness of pursuit; suffer greatly from the
enemy's cannon, and are themselves charged by the cuiras.sieis
in compact order.
' General Ponsonby killed in this charge. Upwards of two
thousand prisoners raade by the cavalry.
' Immediately after the repulse of this attack. General Lam
bert's brigade of the 6th Division reinforces the right of our
position,' and covers the point of La Haye Sainte on the great
road. ' The attack is all along carried on with obstinacy against
the post of Hougoumont.
' At 3 P.M. the enemy advances the whole of his cavalry to
the attack of the great road and position to the right of it.
' The cavalry supported by heavy columns of infantry.
The enemy gains possession of La Haye Sainte and Hougou
mont.'' ' The British cavalry forced back by that of the enemy.
The infantry forms in squares upon the position ; charged
repeatedly by the enemy's cuirassiers, lancers, and light cavalry,
who are repulsed in every charge, and forced at length to retire
from the plateau, having suffered immensely.
' The columns of French infantry are also checked in their
advance by the continued and heavy fire of musketry kept up
by the British line, which was again deployed upon the retreat
of the enemy's cavalry ; the infantry retire behind the ridge and
woods of Hougoumont, still retaining possession of that jiost,
' Again, 6th Division must be understood.
' False information, the enemy never pussessed Hougoumont.— W. AI. G.

360 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
a.s well as of La Haye Sainte, which had long been contested,
and obstinately defended by a party of the light battalion of
the German Legion, under Colonel Baring, till at length, their
araraunitlon exhausted, and all coraraunication with their sup
plies cut off, they were forced to give up the post to the enemy,
who Iraraediately occupied it in force, and formed several heavy
masses of Infantry and a body of cavalry under cover of it, pre
paratory to a fresh attack.
' The possession of La Haye Sainte, and of the knoll above
it, on each side of the great road, enables the eneray to keep
up a destructive fire of rausketry upon the troops posted for
the defence of this Important part of the line. The brigade of
the 6th Division, under General Lambert, render essential
service in this quarter. The 5th Division has, during the last
attack, made a raoveraent to Its right, and is formed In columns
of battalions, near the great road- — a heavy fire of rausketry
and artillery is kept up by the enemy in this direction, till at
length he withdraws his cannon, and the fire of musketry
slackens. ' About 5 o'clock In the afternoon, the Prussians are ob
served advancing upon the right flank of the eneray's position,
but their firing is still distant.
' The Prussian columns had been put in raotlon at day-break
frora Wavre, directing their raarch upon Frischermont and
Planchenoit, but the defile of St. Lambert had considerably
retarded their advance, and although they had happily sur
mounted all obstacles, and were rapidly gaining ground upon
the main position of the enemy, above Planchenoit by 7 o'clock,
the third and desperate attack made upon the British line by
the Imperial Guard had been completely repulsed and the
eneray In total rout in our front before the Prussians had
formed their junction with our left wing.
' It deserves to be stated, to the honour of the Prussian
leader, that on learning, at an advanced period of the day, that
the enemy had pushed a column by Wavre, threatening his
rear, he expressed little concern, and took no precautionary
measures, judging well that the fate of the day depended upon

Mt. 30.] Sir Willia7n Mayna7'd Gomm. 361
the success of the operation he was conducting, and could be
little influenced by the success of any detached corps.
'The enemy made his third attack about 7 o'clock. Hi-<
heavy columns of infantry, urged on by numerous siqijioris,
broke down all opjiosition upon the great road, and upon the
plateau to the rij^ht, advancing under cover of the po>ts of La
Haye Sainte and Hougoumont, till he attained the summit
of our position; but the British line waited his advance with
firmness, pouring an incessant and exterminating fire into the
heart of his columns. Brought to a stand, thev soon began to
waver ; panic ensues, and complete rout is the immediate con-
seipience. Cavahy and infantry hurry together in flight,
while a murderous fire is directed upon the t'ii;,'itives from every
part of the line. The British c;ivalry make dreadful havix-
among several hastily formed squares of infantry.
'One square' more compact, and composed of greater num-
beis than the others, stands iu the middle of the |)laiu for a
considerable time, covering the retreat of the broken bat
talions, but, although in;iecessii)le to the cav;ih-y, it suffers im
mensely from the tire of artillery directed upon it from all
points. ' At this moment the whole British line is advanced to the
at(a(d<ofthe enemy's position above Planchenoit, and trium-
])hantly e;irries heigiit after height. All attempts on the jiart
of the enemy to rally his bridvcu armv are vain. The Pni.ssian
columns are now acting in concert with the British, and the
enemy'.s right is completely turned.
' The fiirin-housc, named La Belle Alliance, upon the great
road, was the |)oint upon which the march of the Prussian
army w;is chiefly directed; it was iu the centre of the enemy's
position, and was said to be the spot from which Napoleon
directed the principal movements of his army.
' Before dark the Prussian columns had entered the great
Charleroi road, and continued the pursuit of the enemy the
whole night.
' The British army rested upon its arms for the night, a
' The second battalion of the Old Guanl, held in reserve.

362 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
little beyond the position from which the enemy had been
driven. ' The whole road between the field of battle and Genappe
was strewed, so as to be rendered almost impassable, with the
enemy's cannon and railltary stores — 150 pieces of artillery,
and more than 200 caissons were left close to the field.
' The loss of the British and Hanoverian army on this day
amounted to thirteen thousand men ; the Brunswick, Belgian,
and Dutch corps also lost some thousands.
' The enemy's loss is rated at fifty thousand men.
' The allies brought about sixty thousand men into the field,
the enemy upwards of one hundred thousand.'
The loss of the 5 th British Division, on this occasion,
amounted to one hundred officers, and one thousand two
hundred men ; its total loss, on both days, two hundred and
twenty officers, and two thousand six hundred men, nearly the
half of its force on leaving Brussels. The loss fell chiefiy upon
the British brigades.
' Many distinguished persons have fallen on the fields of
Waterloo and Genappe whose fate is a pubUc loss. The Duke
of Brunswick, from his illustrious rank, the esteem in which
he was held by the Allies, and the love borne him by his own
corps, could not but claim the regret of all. Sir Thomas
PIcton was an officer of long approved merit, possessing great
firmness and ability, experienced In service, before the opening
of the Peninsular War, and since that period, constantly merit
ing and receiving the thanks of bis country, for valuable ser
vices performed.
' Sir William Ponsonby, a character universally esteemed,
and an able, though not a very experienced officer.
' But in no one instance has the army or the nation a greater
loss to deplore than in that of the Deputy Quarterraaster-
General, Sir William De Lancey. He had served in the sarae
capacity, under Sir George Murray, in every stage of the
Peninsular War, and had performed the coraprehensive duties
' Grouchy's force of 35,000 men must be deducted from this calculation, they
having taken no part in the action.

.1.1. 30.] Sir William May7iard Go/nm. 363
of his station so much to the sati.-faction of the Duke of Wel
lington, that on his resuming the command of the army, iu
Belgium, a very able officer ' was removed from the head of
the Quartermaster-General's Department to give place to
Colonel De Lancey.
' He had hitherto been singularly fortunate in the field, and
never wounded, though always much e.\]>osed. He possessed
high mUitary talent, which, united to many valuable and esti
mable qualities, and regulated by such experience, could not
but constitute a character, whose departure from among us, in
the vigour of life, shimld be deeply lamented through a wider
circle than is comprised among the number of his relatives and
friends. ' The Duke of A\'ellington wa.s in the hotlost of the fire
during the whole of the action of the 18th ; and as two hostile
armies have seldom in modern warfare fought so continually
hand to hand as on this hard contested day, so, perhaps, it has
seldom happened that the superior officers of an army have
been so much exposed, or so prodigal of their persons.
' There is a report that Napoleon led on the Imperial Guard
to the charge in the last attack, but this report wants confirma
tion, and is not generally credited.
' The battle of Waterloo will claim so distinguished a place
among the events of modern times, that it is perhaps the duty,
as it is the pride, of everyone who had the good fortune to
stand in the ranks of the Allied Army on that day to describe
minutely and faithfully every particular incident that came
more immediately under his own notice; and it will be found,
upon the most exact scrutiny, to afford some of the most
splendid examples of intrepidity and enthusiasm on the oue
hand, and of constancy and unshaken firmness on the other,
that the world ever witnessed.
' It will be celebrated not less for the splendour of the
achievements it gave opportunity to than for the magnitude of
the results by which it was attended.
' All military observers — those who had been present at
' Sir Hudson Lowe.

3f'4 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
Borodino, at Eylau, or at Austerlitz — declare that the contest
was never so severe, the attacks never so impetuous, so re
iterated, nor the resistance so obstinate; that the French never
fought with such confidence, such assurance of victory, as on
this day.
' The renown of their leader, their devotion to his cause, the
proraised plunder of Brussels almost within their grasp, every
thing contributed to stimulate them to exertion. Their com
position was excellent ; it was the flower of their army
assembled to raake this grand irruption into the Netherlands.
Their cavalrj' was fine, both light and heavy-arraed, numerous,
and well equipped ; their artillery magnificent ; their infantry,
the best soldiers of France, roused to emulation by the presence
of the Imperial Guard.
' Lord Wellington's army, on the other hand (with the
exception of the British part of it), was composed of new
levies, which, however well disposed, could not from their
inexperience be much depended upon. The Hanoverians (the
legion excepted), all militia newly embodied. The Brunswick
Corps, originally of ten thousand men, weU equipped and ready
to take the field at the moraent they were called upon,
had some experienced officers among them, who had served
lately in Spain ; but the corps was almost wholly coraposed of
recruits. ' The Belgic and Dutch troops ill equipped, and in essential
points still less efficient than the corps above naraed.
' The attempt made by Napoleon was therefore politic and
well-timed, the conduct of the plan bold, and with a less fair
prospect of success than might reasonably have been antici
pated when a man of Btmaparte's fortunes and habits took the
field against even the Duke of Wellington, it might have been
called rash.
' The fortunes of the world seemed to have been set upon a
cast. Had the Allies lost the battle of Waterloo, such was
the nature of the conflict that utter ruin must have ensued.
It was the peculiar characteristic of this battle from the
beginning that the result must be decisive of the fate of both
armies.

vET. 30.] .Sir IVilliam JLiy7ia7'd Gom77i. 365
' The contest even merited more truly the title of a pitched
battle. The fortunes of all the contending nations were, per
haps, at stake.
' Had Napoleon been triumphant at Waterloo, the s|)irit aud
conduct of the Prussian army would have availed it little, ;»nd
the undisputed possession of Belgium would have enabled him
to have 0[>ened the war against the armies of Austria and
Russia with the same advantages, and probably with the same
success, that had attended his earlier campaigns against those
Powers. ' It has been observed that Napoleon manoeuvred little in
this battle.
' His great object seemed to be to overpower in some par
ticular point. First, by the weight of his artillery and infantry
in massy column: afterwards, with the whole of his cavalrv ;
and, last of all, by a great, but fruitless, effort of his Imperial
Guard. ' The result of this day's combinations, so fatal to the
fortunes, ought not, perhaps, to detract from the military
reputation of Napoleon; for as the history of the world has
hitherto seldom, perhaps never, recorded an instance of such
constancy as was displayed by the British infantry on this
trying occasion, such opposition was not, upon the principles of
huraan reasoning, justly to be looked for.
' Prixiigies of valour disconceited the plans which had so
often led to success.
' The genius of the Duke of Wellington turned this un
daunted spirit to the best account ; but it was only by British
soldiers that such a field could have been kept, animated by all
the genius and daring of a Wellington.
' A just panegyric has been passed by public report upon
the merits of the troops of all the nations engaged on the side
of the .Allies in this sanguinary conflict ; but a close observer,
who writes not for the public eye, will portion out the tribute
of apjilause to each with nicer discrimination than policy might
recommend under other circumstances ; and it is not detracting
from the merits of the troops of Hanover, Belgium, Brunswick,

366 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1816,
or Holland, to declare that the field was more than once irre
trievably lost but for the wonderful and almost miraculous
exertions of the British infantry.
' All fought well, and on many occasions much better than
could reasonably have been expected from troops of any nation
so composed ; but on this day the British infantry surpassed
itself in constancy and intrepidity, and there were occasions
when the exigency of the moraent called for mightier efforts
than had been looked for, even from British infantry, till this
day. The exertions of the British cavalry were conspicuous,
and no opportunity was lost of increasing the disaster of the
eneray ; but still the weight of the attack, both of cavalry and
infantry, was borne by the latter. The enemy fought with an
apparent determination to conquer — his cavalry above all ; but
as long as the days of Waterloo and Genappe ' are upon record
among the British infantry, the efforts of the best and raost
daring cavalry in the world, acting in situations the most
favourable to that arm, against unconnected and unsupported
battalions, will be held in contempt.
' The artillery on both sides did dreadful execution ; ours
on raany occasions drew upon it the admiration of the enemy.
' The French infantry invariably attacked in solid column.
' This formation for attack seems calculated to produce
decisive results.
' The Allies always received the assault of the columns In
line, and as the British line never yielded, although the troops
of other nations frequently broke and retired, the effect of
musketry from a line concentrating upon a massy column at the
distance of a few yards was most destructive. The columns
once checked suffered immensely, aud panic and flight were
the inevitable consequences.
' It seems extraordinary that the fortunes of the day should
have been so often retrieved by the sole efforts of British
infantry, for there could not have been more than 25,000
British in the field, exclusive of cavalry and artillery.
' Whatever has been said respecting the comparative merits
' (Juatre Bras.

.KT. 30.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 367
of the Allies on the 18th is equaUy applicable to those en
gaged in the action of the 16th, a day not less glorious to the
British Infantry, although its celebrity will be lost in the splen
dour of the more decisive events which immediately followed.
Yet those who were principally concerned in the operations of
the 16th will always recollect with satisfaction that on this day,
two brigades of the 5th Division — in all not more than 4,000
men — sustained the principal weight of an attack made by
two corps ' of the French army and a large body of cavalry,
for several hours unsupported, except by Belgic, Brunswick,
and Nassau troops ; and without a squadron of British cavalry
in the field till night. They notwithstanding repelled every
attack with great slaughter of the eneray, particularly in
cavalry. ' The three Highland regiments forraing part of the 5th
Division rendered essential services on this day, as well as on
the 18th, and not only maintained, but exalted their high
character. ' Perhaps the check the enemy received on the 16th in all
his attempts had the salutary eff'ect of heightening that confi
dence araong the Allies, already great, which they manifested
in so striking a manner on the 18th.
' The British infantry gave an earnest on the 16th of what
might be expected from it in a future conflict, and it did not
deceive either Its enemies or friends.
' These comments upon the operations already detailed not
beiug intended to be made public, have been given with free
dom and candour, and wholly without reserve ; and wherever
an erroneous view of the magnificent but complicated events
attempted to be described has been taken, it has proceeded
from want of materials, or perhaps from want of opportunity
or of capacity to form a better judgment — not from intention
to detract from or panegyrise the merit of any party. Still, it
is most gratifying to have to relate, however imperfectly, such
exploits as, taken in the most unfavourable point of view, must
redound more to the national honour, in a military sense, than
' The let Corps was not engagsd.

388 TJie Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
any achievement of modern, or perhaps of ancient times, re
corded In our annals.'
There are a great many letters and memoranda about
Waterloo found amongst Sir William's papers, in many of
which he records his personal experiences and reminiscences,
or comraents upon sorae of the published accounts or histories
which have appeared from time to tirae.
Among others, an interesting correspondence was carried
on between Canon Selwyn and Sir William Gomm about the
claim of the 52nd Regiment to have had the honour of
defeating without the assistance of the 1st British Guards, or
of any other troops, that portion of the Imperial Guard of
France, above 10,000 In nuraber, which advanced to raake
the last attack upon the British position. Through some
mistake or inadvertence the exploits of the 52nd Begiment at
Waterloo were ignored in the original despatches, and the
Guards had all the honours and rewards thrust upon them.
On this point there have been voluminous and animated dis
cussions in the public prints in which Colonel Chesney,
General Lindsay, Mr. Leeke, and others took part ; and
although Sir William Gomm did not rush into print on so
tempting a theme, there are many letters to and frora hira
touching this still unsettled subject. Others in preparing
histories of the campaign wrote to him for explanations and
details, and his answers were invariably prompt and to the
point. Major W. Siborne when writing his History of the
Waterloo Campaign, and when preparing his famous Waterloo
Model, which all visitors to London iu the last generation
went to see as one of the standard sights, wrote frequently to
take advice on various details from Sir William Gomm.
The following is one of his memoranda on Mr. Leeke's
pamphlets and letters :

^T. 30.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 369
' Mr. Leeke s claim for the defeat of the French Imperial Guard
at Waterloo by our 52nd Regiment singly, leaving only the
herd of its preceding skirmishers to be satisfactorily dealt
with by the 1st Brigade of Guards, considered.
'It is a fact as firmly established before the world as that
French and English faced each other on the field of AVaterloo,
that towards the close of that eventful day. Napoleon led in
jierson a portion of his Guard, numbering between three aud
four thousand, down from its stand by " La Belle Alliance,"
towards the Chemin Creux on the Charlerol road, and from
thence gave it over to Ney, with charge to lead it diagonally
up the slope bordering upon the enclosures of " La Ilaic
Sainte" towards the left centre of the British jiosition.
' This mission of the estimated 4,000, I submit, should be
regarded as the pivot round which all argument regarding
what is called " The Crisis of "Waterloo " should be made to
turn. ' It is, then, hardly within the range of possibility that this
column should have gone over to court a flank fire from any
portion of Adam's Brigade, posted as it was, below and beyond
the right flank of the brigade of Guards, in furtherance of its
mission to assail our left centre.
' Yet this is the mode of proceeding of the French Guard so
pertinaciously contended for by Mr. Leeke, for arriving at Its
end. ' But ^Ir. Leeke himself solves the question, by asserting,
both in his letter to the " Army and Navy Gazette,'' in Its issue
of September 18, aud in his preceding one to the same quarter,
of Manh 28, 1868, that the column of Guards assailed by the
52nd amounted to something exceeding 10,000 men !
' It was, then, positively tiot the column estimated by
Napoleon himself, and by Ney in his official report to Fouche,
" (Juatre regimens de vieille Gai'de, ou huit bataiilons; " and
Ney continues that he considered the strength at its starting
inadequate to force the British position at the point indicated.
' But Mr. Leeke's statement with regard to numbers tallies
B B

370 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
well with the official record of other six regiments of the Guard
being assembled in the hollow between " La BeUe AUiance " and
the enclosures of Hougoumont, with a reserve of two ; and with
commission to advance towards the position of our line about
to be assailed by the first column ; and this second column
it undoubtedly was with which the 52nd became aux prises,
and which received such exeraplary castlgation at its hands,
while delayed in its advance by the destructive fire of our
artillery, by the steady presence in its front of the battalion
of Guards which had already disposed of the right coluran,
and possibly by some approach to consternation on witnessing
the disorderly retreat of its comrades from that encounter.
' The 52nd, then, was mainly instruraental in the check and
subsequent dispersion of this second heavy column ; and it is
therefore matter of regret that no special mention was made
In the despatch of the signal services rendered by Adam's
Brigade, and especially by the 52nd, in this crowning portion
of the great encounter, furnishing occasion for the question said
to have been put by Byng (I think) to Colborne, at Paris,
" How will your fellows like our being given all the credit for
what they did ? "
' But to contend, as Mr. Leeke persistingly does, that the
French attack by the Guard was made in one sole coluran,
divided in its centre by an inappreciable interval, and that its
overthrow was due to the prowess of the 52nd single-handed,
is shown to be an absurdity by reference to authenticated
nurabers ; and the twofold attack to be substantiated thereby ;
and Ney's column of sorae 4,000 at its outset— not 10,000
and upward, as conjectured by Mr. Leeke — left to make its
own way, as originally directed for it, uphill, undisturbed,
save by the shattering missiles of our artillery through its
whole advance, and in a fashion worthy^ of its old renown, till
reaching the crest of the position, to be precipitated from
thence by the Irresistible uprising of the 3rd Battalion of the
1st Regiment of Guards, seconded by the reranants of the
right regiraents of Colin Halkett's Brigade on its immediate
left, 33rd and 69th, each of which had suffered so severely
through earlier portions of the day.

.ET. 30.] Sir Willia7n Maynard Go/nm. 371
* The Duke's direction, " Get up and drive those fellows
off," so fondly dwelt upon by Mr. Leeke and his adherents, as
affording presumptive evidence of the comparative insignifi
cance of the jiressure experienced by the Brigade of Guards
in this last grand attack, was clearly applied to some intrusive
skirmishers frora Donzelot's corps, in and about La Hale
Sainte, becoming more fidgetty and excursive, to engage our
attention while the (iuard was preparing its advance.
' On this whole subject — I mean this crowning phase of the
battle — I am no better qualified to speak from memory than
the veriest absentee from the field altogether ; since, though a
(uiardsman at the time, I was serving on the General Staff on
the left of the line, too bu.sy with my own front to be cog
nisant of all that was passing on my somewhat distant right,
till the sun at his setting flashed upon the backs innumerable
of Frenchmen that we were chasing down hill : and that I saw,
and shared in when the jubilating Prussian just arriving, who
took me round the neck in his embrace, released me and my
horse frora captivity. — W. M. G., 1868.'
Some further excerpta from his Waterloo jottings are
added : —
' It is my faith, that there were three distinct manifestations
of the direct intervention of Providence iu the course of the
great events of 16th, 17th, aud ISth of June, 1815, over the
plains of Belgium.
' Of one of these the great Duke himself was conscious.
Often when asked to what agency he attributed his escaping
scatheless throughout the storm of battle on the 18th, while
the chiefs of his staff clustering round him were one after
another felled to the earth in rapid succession, his unvarying
reply was " It was tlie hand of Providence over me."
' A second instance was :
' The state of persistent vacillation in which the corps of
D'Erlon, consisting of twenty thousand men, was kept on the
16th — neither affording assistance to those in front of our-
bb2

372 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
selves, nor to Napoleon himself in front of Ligny, to whom its
arrival on the Prussian right flank would have ensured the
utter destruction of that army.
' And a third Instance, not to be substantially accounted
for by classing it in the category of " great military errors "
was the unbroken bewilderment of Grouchy, and the absolute
retention of his thirty-eight thousand men from the field of
battle on the 18th. And surely never in the world's story has
an occasion for such intervention as is here reverently pleaded
for, been more signally presented for the confounding of
measureless earth-rooted ambition, and of the appliances of
transcendent huraan capacity for Its gratification. Once more
then, 'tis my faith, and upon the showing here presented, " que
rhomme propose et Dieu dispose." ' {Dated January 10, 1870.)
Referring to the clairas of the 52nd Regiment having been
overlooked in the despatches, he says it was the Duke's retort
when applied to in after days to set the raatter to rights,
• There was enough of glory reaped by all.'
' Colborne's (afterwards Lord Seaton) reply to Adam when
wheeling up his flank — " I ara wanting and going to make those
fellows feel our fire " — sealed to my mind the fate of the battle
of Waterloo.' (Dated July 1867 .)
'One strongly asserted fact occurs to me as favouring the
claims of the 52nd Regiment in no ordinary degree, and one
which I have not seen taken advantage of by any advocate on
the same side — the Duke's summons to Maitland. If it could
be ascertained beyond a shadow of a doubt that the words
were " Forra line on front face and drive those fellows in " (or
off), I think it would tell strongly in favour of the 52nd's
pretensions. ' These expressions would be strictly applicable to dealing
with a horde of insolent assailants, such as constituted the
irregular cloud of sharpshooters preceding the gathered French
onset ; hardly to the advance of a raajestic coluran in product,
which the received opinion assuraes it to have been.'

^r. 30.] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 373
? The other version given of the Duke's words " Up Guards,
and at them," or something tantamoimt, leaves the question
more open.'

' It would never do to let the Duke's "Charge, Maitland I "
and Saltoun's " Now's the time, boys ! " fade from the pages of
song to give place to a superfluous fiction — even of the 52nd.'
'By Wellington's orders the gunners, after dis(;Iiarging their
pieces when the cavalry were close upon them, unliinbered
the near wheel of each gun, and retired rapidly, wheeling
the wheels with them, into the nearest square. Speedily the
French horsemen came up and threw rope-;, prejiared for the
purpose like the South Araerican lasso, over the gun. But
they could not make it move along on one wheel ; and while
.striving to drag along their prize, the deadly volley of the
square stretclu'd half of those engaged on the ground, and
sent the rest headlong down the slope.'
' I will here place on record the last words that fell from
the lips of the Duke of ^Vellillgtou addressed to imself, when
I was taking leave of him at ^\' aimer, previous to my depart
ing for the command in India.'
' " The British army is w hat it is, because it is officered by
gentlemen ; men who would scorn to do a dishonourable thing
and who have something more at stake before the world than
a reputation for military smartness. Now the French army,"
he continued, " piqued theraselves upon their • esprit mili-
taire,' and their ' honneur railitaire,' and what was the con-
Bequence ? Why, I kicked their ' honneur ' and their ' esprit
miUtaire ' to the devil " — and he gave a kick so enthusiastic
that it nearly upset him, aud prompted me to lay instantly
hold of his arm to enable him to recover his balance.'
' On September 25, 1850, Sir William Goram was sworn in as Commander-
in-Chief of India, and the following day went down to stay with, and tako leave of
the Duke at Walmer. The next week he started for India.

374 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815,
' One expression more of his to the same purport is now
well known, and it is an expression that should be appropriated
and cherished for itself by every first-class school in the United
Kingdom : by Eton, and Harrow, and Winchester, Westmin
ster and Shrewsbury, and various others, for its spirit applies
equally to them all ; the Great Duke's favourite solution of the
Waterloo riddle (' L'^nigrae de Waterloo ' of Victor Hugo) was
— " The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of
Eton," — a dictum than which one pithier or more full of mean
ing was never uttered, and all tending to show what was the
conviction in the Duke's mind, antagonistic to all schemes
afloat for the democratising of our army.'
' No one, I suppose, expected an honest account of the day
of Waterloo from M. Thiers ; but the Bobadil spirit which
pervades his whole narrative of the event, and his falsification
of details, is positively astounding.
' To begin with, his account of the great attack upon our
left by the 1st Corps (D'Erlon's). The attack was raade, as
he correctly states, in four dense colurans In direct echelon
frora the left, covered by the fire of eighty pieces of cannon.
This afforded rae, a mounted officer unattached to any parti
cular corps, being quartermaster-general of the division as
sailed (the 5th), the opportunity to be present at and to witness
the result of each attack, or, to speak more correctly, of three
of their attacks In succession after Picton's fall on our right ;
the fourth (Durutte's) being made on our extrerae left against
the viUages of Papelotte and La Haye. I did so assist, and
can therefore vouch from my own personal knowledge for the
utter worthlessness and perversion of facts of this very French
narrative.' * The 5th (Picton's) Division marched out of Brussels, on
the morning of June 16, 5,270 rank and file. After our two
days' fighting we were reduced to less than one-half. The
exact numbers, according to the official return, are as fol
lows : —

-i:r. 30.] Sir Willia77i Maynard Go77t7n. 375

lyjHS

on 16th at

Lo-". on 18th

Qu.i
Lire Bms.
Waterloo.
Ist K'uMlI
^ f;71
s;i-<
114
•-'XI h
(i.!l
7.5
. 177
:(L'nd „
(i:i9
]ti((
174
4:ind „
617
2^^^
411
44th „
018
l.-is
04
77th „
744
.¦'.() t
. 175
llJnd „
TOfS
2^1 !
. 110
00th „
i^'l
04
. l.M!
5170 100:) 1U.J.J
Total loss of 2,624 on the two days, being more than half
In 1837, writing to his cousin. Count Briihl, of the 1st
Reglraent of Cuirassiers (Prussia), he says : ' I concur with you
most heartily, my dear Fritz,in all you say about the unfortunate
differences to which our great Duke's evidence before the
Military Comralssion gave rise. I anticipated some ex[ires-
sion of wounded feeling on the part of Prussia frora what I
considered the injudicious and uncourteous manner in which
this was set forth to the world without comment or any anxiety
shown to avoid giving ofl'ence. Still (ieiieral Grolman wont
far beyond what I expected in the shape of retort; and
IMuffling surprised rae beyond measure, and convinced me
almost that he has himself not been u|ion the field of ^\'ater-
loo, and had never read how the I'.nglish army carried on their
all'airs in Spain ; and when I had vividly in my mind's c\"e, all
the while I was reading their angry remarks and actusatlons,
the i>icturc of that tumultuous meeting and blending in. as it
were, of the two armies in the full storm of advance upon the
wrecks of the jointly-beaten enemy, and the cheerings and the
hearty hand-shakings that were exchanged all this while (I
myself was nearly dragged off ray horse several times by a
Prussian embrace), you may imagine what were my regrets.
However, all this angry feeling will, I feel sure, quickly sub
side — indeed, I may safely say. has already subsided — upon
both sides, let us trust, for ever, as it should do between
people aud armies that have ai bottom the highest esteem and
376 The Earlier Letters and Journals of [1815.
admiration for each other, and confidence unbounded in each
other — and well have they proved it.'
To his Aunt.
' The Duke of Wellington presented the whole of the
dtat major of our army the other day to the Emperor of
Austria and the King of France. The good old King said to
us, in broken English : " I congratulate you, gentlemen, upon
this result of your valour and conduct ; but I am most grateful
to you for your generosity and humanity towards my poor
misguided people ; the father and the family will for ever hold
it in remerabrance." ' {Dated Paris, July 16, 1815.)
His last visit to the field' of Waterloo was in his eighty-
fifth year, in the suraraer of 1868, in company with Lady
Goram, Miss Howard Vyse, and his niece Emily [now Mrs.
Carr-Gomra]. In his diary of the day are these lines : —
Oft have I passed thy bounds, thou haunted field !
Since strife that made thee such hath ahook the world ;
And ever aa I mused, a plenteous yield
Of rapt emotion hath its flag unfurled,
As o'er no second spot of earth for me.
And now the fervour passed that wakens up
Aye, for such theme aa thine on memory.
The moisture gathers in its trembling cup.
Approaching thee, fair triumph's proudest goal I
What is it that can thus unnerve the soul ?
Is it the judgment on time-stricken men ?
Or breathes a voice a-field of power intense ;
Humanity's more earnest call than when
Kang out the trumpets on my dreaming sense.
Here most fitly may we close this chapter of the life of
Sir William Gorara. He had risen rapidly to the highest
position and honours in his profession which were possible at
his age. He had during sixteen or seventeen years of almost
unceasing warfare borne his part wherever there seemed the
hardest work to be done. He had with indoraitable industry
' Though as late as 1871 he drove past Quatre Bras.

A.t. ?,().] Sir William Maynard Gomm. 377
cultivated a naturally refined mind with the best studies, and
in the best company. He had made himself the admiration
and chief support of a most affectionate family circle. He
had already gained a moderate competence, and after years of
wandering was about to comraence a quiet tirae of home
service, when in the course of a few months all that seemed to
make life most worth living for was taken from him. It is
true that from his early boyhood he had lost both his parents,
but his aunt's home had ever been to him all that an Engli?h
home can and should be, and he was IciokiiiL? forward to his
well-earned welcome there after his vears of foreign home-
lessness. He did return home, and his aunt (who died in 1.S22) did
for some years survive; but otherwise his cup of happiness
was broken just when he was going to put it to his lips.
He had scarcely put off' the mourning for the constant
friend and centre of the family. Miss (Joldsworthy (the (ioiiUy
of his letters), who died in March 1816, when he had to bury
his only surviving brother at Geneva, and was then just too
late, though hurrying horae in obedience to a suramons from
his aunt, to close the eyes of his beloved only sister, who died
after a short illness (m December 10, 1817.
When next we are able to follow his life in his own writing
it seems alraost the life of another being. The character of
the times is changed from constant war to a long peace. The
correspondents are different; aud as a marrietl raan, who.-.e
wife was ever at his side, he had no regular horae correspond
ence as before, and the story of his life is only followed among
certainly less interesting scenes — in the drier pages of diaries,
rather than in the bright animating letters to a sister.
From verses written in 1818 : —
To his lister.
Emblem of purity, from earth withdrawn 1
Sister, beloved erewhile ; now ser.nph bright I
Mav I not mourn thee, snatched to realms of light,
Wiiilo yet tliy st;ir of hope was in its dawu .'

378 Sir William Maynard Gomm. [1815,
Thou only full prepared ; all else forlorn.
Disconsolate. Thou ever wing'd for flight ;
We only lost in suddenness of night.
Thou but awaken'd to eternal morn.
Dear saint on earth ! Blest vision, 'mid the skies 1
Shall not thy worth unteach us to complain ?
Alas 1 we rashly grieve o'er broken ties !
Thou, bliss embosom'd, past the bounds of pain \
Eather be ours thy memory well to prize,
And show to earth thou wert not lent in vain !
My sister ! We were wont in earlier day
To hold sweet converse, though seas roll'd between,
Chief solace of my wanderings hath it been.
With thee in mental intercourse to stray ;
And oft, at closing of some battle-fray,
Thy form in fever'd vision have I seen,
And thou hast gaz'd, methought, with smile serene,
Upon some guerdon freshly borne away !
Thou wert my favouring spirit here below.
And from thy lovehness of soul I drew
Such sympathies as angels give to flow,
And such as oft have cleared my grosser view.
Shall 1 not still, as then, observance owe.
Thy charge unchanged — alone thy dwelling new ?

LONDON : PttlNTHD BY
gPOTTIBWOOnR AND CO., NHW-STllKKT SQUAttH
AND PAItT.lAAlK.VT BTttKET

YALE UNIVERSITY UBHAHY

3 9002 01369 0202