Memoir of the early campaigns of the Duke of Wellington, in Portugal and Spain,: By an officer employed in his armyWestmorland, John Fane, Earl of
History
Memoir of the early campaigns of the Duke of Wellington, in Portugal and Spain,: By an officer employed in his army
Westmorland, John Fane, Earl of
Peninsular War, 1807-1814 -- Personal narratives; Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852
The heavy brigade of British cavalry, composed of the 3d Dragoon Guards,
and the 4th Dragoons, came up to the French infantry soon after this
charge had taken place; but at the moment of attacking it, were halted
by Marshal Beresford, who, in doubt of the event of the charge made by
the 13th, did not venture to expose the rest of his cavalry to any risk.
This infantry therefore was allowed to move off without molestation; and
in the night the French were enabled to carry into Badajos a great part
of the guns, stores, and ammunition, which, in the charge of the 13th
Dragoons, had been taken in the morning. The result of this affair,
after so brilliant a commencement, was unfortunate; the return of the
infantry was a considerable reinforcement to a garrison we were about,
to attack; and the artillery, stores, and provisions were objects of the
first necessity to its defence.
The French having thus been driven over the Guadiana, Marshal Beresford
sought as early as possible to pass that river, to invest Badajos,
according to the instructions he had received. He was delayed, however,
by the state of the river, and his unwillingness to risk its passage,
without having previously secured his after communications across it; so
that he did not effectually establish himself on the left bank, till the
6th and 7th of April, by which time the enemy had provisioned and
repaired the place, and Marshal Mortier (leaving it in a state of
defence,) had retired with his corps towards Seville.
The blockade of Badajos was immediately established; and
Lieutenant-General Cole was directed to conduct the siege of Olivenza,
which, having only a garrison of 370 men, was surrendered at discretion
on the 15th.
Immediately after this event, and while Marshal Beresford was preparing
for the attack of Badajos, Lord Wellington arrived. He was strongly
impressed with the importance of this fortress to his future plans, in
the new system of warfare which the late events had laid open to him.
Snatched from him at the moment all his other calculations had
triumphed, it had already been most detrimental to his general success.
By the large detachment he had been obliged to make from his army, in
consequence of its fall, it had prevented his more vigorous pursuit of
Massena, and had destroyed his hope of undertaking the blockade of
Ciudad Rodrigo (as well as that of Almeida,) before it could be
re-victualled, and placed in a state of defence; and it still menaced,
as long as it remained in the hands of the French, to curb all his
offensive movements into Spain, by protecting their positions in the
south of the country, and by enabling them at all times to threaten the
southern provinces of Portugal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account