The journal of an Army surgeon during the Peninsular War / [by Charles Boutflower].

  • Boutflower, Charles, 1782-1844.
Date:
[1912]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The journal of an Army surgeon during the Peninsular War / [by Charles Boutflower]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [1809] who were to form my Society for the next Week or ten Days. [Adgdst] Prior to my introduction to Capn. Rodney, he had received into his Cabin as many as he could conveniently accommodate ; it was therefore necessary that I should take my Passage in the Gun Room with the Officers of the Ship. The day subsequent to Capn. R.’s offer I had the good fortune to be particularly introduced to the Second Lieutenant,from whom in consequence I received the most marked attention. Capn. R. is the son of the celebrated Lord Rodney. He is six and twenty years of age, and has been at Sea almost from his infancy ; he appears very fond of his profession, and certainly is remarkably attentive to everything that relates to the safety of the Ship, arising less, I believe, from any personal fear of danger, than from a due Sense of the serious respon- sibility that attaches to the Situation of a Captain of a Man of War. His Education, from a reason above stated, has been much neglected, added to which his Talents are certainly not above Mediocrity. His disposition, however, is very good, and I should certainly form an unfavourable Opinion of an Officer who could not live pleasantly under his Command. Capn. R. had two Gentlemen with him in his Cabin, one of them Brigr. Genl. Madden going out to command a Brigade of Portuguese Troops. He was formerly Major of the 12th Dragns., and served with them in Egypt, but was subsequently dismissed the Service, by the Sentence of a General Court Martial; tho’ the crimes were undoubtedly a breach of Military Discipline, it does not appear that his reputation either as an Officer or Gentleman suffered in consequence, having been since almost constantly employed in England as an Inspecting Field Officer, and in his present employment he is evidently thought worthy of a high command. He is a Man of superior Abilities, and possesses a general knowledge of Men and Manners. He has visited more than once almost every Court in Europe, &, having a perfect knowledge of nearly all the modern languages, he has been enabled to form more accurate conclusions of what came