In the evening, being orderly officer, I went at eight o'clock to see the lights out and that the men were present. I met Lieutenant Firman, who was upon the same duty for our 3rd Battalion. Finding the stairs very slippery and the place very dark, I observed, "If you will wait, I will go in search of a candle," as I knew there were open spaces in the balusters a person in the dark might walk through. I left him, got a candle from a neighbouring house, and returned. I went up three or four stairs, when I heard a slip and in a moment, poor Firman fell through. In his progress downwards his feet repeatedly struck one side and his head the other. He came with tremendous force to the bottom, which was a flagged pavement in the cellar. I directly retraced my steps and found him almost dashed to pieces, his skull frightfully fractured and several ribs broken. I had him removed to his billet. He remained for two days in a state of insensibility and died. It was odd enough that a soldier of the 43rd and his Portuguese wife were sleeping together close to the place where he fell and never were awakened by the noise until I came to the place. [Sidenote: 14th] The army crossed the Tormes and took post upon the heights of the Arapiles. [Sidenote: 15th] In the evening the army began to retreat from Salamanca upon Ciudad Rodrigo. Weather very bad and the roads excessively deep. My brother exceedingly unwell, which caused me a deal of uneasiness and trouble besides having to attend to my duty. The enemy moving upon our right flank in large bodies. [Sidenote: 16th] Marched and bivouacked in a wood near Cillero. Very ill off for provisions. My brother so ill that I was obliged to give him my cloak to keep him warm. I had given my mule up to him to ride, so that at every step I was up to the knees in mud, and frequently small rills, which it was necessary during the day's march to cross, became rivulets from the continued rain.