[11] This night I was so reckless of life, thinking the artery injured, that some fool gave me a bottle of strong wine, which I drank off at a draught. It was very wicked of me.—G. S. [12] Lieutenant-Colonel Beckwith and the Battalion were particularly thanked in Lord Wellington's despatches for their gallant conduct on this trying day, and indeed nothing could exceed the devoted gallantry displayed by every one. The Light Division lost in killed and wounded on this day 27 officers and 336 men; 53 Rifle Men were made prisoner; many of these were also wounded. The French loss must have been very considerable from the immense numbers in the field.—G. S. Napier puts the French loss as "above a thousand." The losses of the 95th Rifles during this fight were 1 officer, 1 sergeant, and 10 Rifle Men killed, and 9 officers, 1 sergeant, and 54 Rifle Men wounded. Of the wounded officers, three died within a few days of the fight, and many of the wounded Rifle Men also succumbed to their injuries.—Ed. [13] I regret as a soldier I was not in the battle, but I could not help it, being unable to crawl, from my wounds in the thigh and leg. I was at that time so ambitious of being in the fight that I really wept at not being there.—G. S. [14] Afterwards General Sir Harry Smith, G.C.B., the victor of Aliwal.—Ed. [15] Sir John Kincaid, in his _Adventures in the Rifle Brigade_, published in 1830, mentions having had a hand in this affair.—Ed. [16] Afterwards General Sir Hew Ross, G.C.B. [17] Afterwards Sir John Kincaid, author of the spirited sketches, _Adventures in the Rifle Brigade_, and _Random Shots by a Rifleman_.—Ed. [18] Major Stewart, as many others have done, asked me if he was mortally wounded. I told him he was. He thanked me, and died the day following. Lieutenant Strode died of his wound some little time after at Coimbra.—G. S. [19] Brother John had entered the Mercantile Marine, and on his first voyage his ship was captured by a French privateer, and he himself killed in the engagement. At the time of writing this letter it was believed that he was alive and a prisoner of war.—Ed. [20] Afterwards Major-General Sir Edward Pakenham, who was killed in the disastrous attack on the lines of New Orleans, 1815.—Ed. [21] Salamanca.—Ed. [22] Captain Cadoux. [23] Joseph Dornford was originally at Trinity College, Cambridge, which he left for the Peninsula. On returning home he entered at Wadham College, Oxford, and in 1816 was elected a Fellow of Oriel. After some years of College work he retired to a country living, first in Northamptonshire and afterwards in Devonshire.—See Rev. T. Mozley's _Reminiscences of Oriel College and the Oxford Movement_, ii. 55, 78.—Ed. [24] I have since heard that he made a most excellent divine and a most worthy member of society.—G. S. [25] The Château d'Urdanches near Arcangues was thus styled by the British, after its owner.