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.

    119/192 (page 115)
    [Nov.] would be extremely hazardous. A Party of Don Julian’s Men succeeded the day before yesterday in taking the Gover- nor & several other Officers Prisoners : they were on a riding excursion in the Vicinity of the place, when these people surprized them. They likewise took two hundred & sixty head of Cattle, besides Sheep and Goats ; this loss will doubt- less be very seriously felt by them. 26th. There was an idea Yesterday Evening that the Enemy meditated an attack upon San Felices de Chico last night for the purpose of possessing himself of a considerable quantity of Bullocks that are in the vicinity of that place; we were in consequence ordered to keep on the alert, and the Men were directed to sleep accoutred ; no alarm however took place. Nothing can possibly exceed the dullness and monotony of our present mode of life. We know nothing whatever of the enemy, but it is certain that they have no other force near us than the Garrison of Ciudad Rodrigo. Novr 3d. Information was received two or three Days ago that the Enemy were again concentrating a Force, with the object, as was supposed, of throwing in more Stores & particularly Bullocks into Ciudad Rodrigo, in lieu of those taken from them lately by Don Julian. In consequence, the Night before last we were ordered to proceed as yesterday Morning at daylight & unite with the Light Division at El Bodon, a Village about four Leagues on our right, and two from Ciudad Rodrigo, from whence we were to have gone to another Village called Pastores with the intention of inter- cepting the Convoy. On our arrival at El Bodon we found that we were one day too late, as the Enemy had thrown in the supplies and a new Governor at eight o’Clock the preceding Night, and after resting a few hours the escort, consisting of about five thousand men, had again quitted the place. In this instance Lord W’s information was very incorrect; had we been twenty four hours sooner something