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.

    124/192 (page 120)
    [1812] Doubtless Lord W. must have some extraordinary and [Jan.] most urgent reasons for commencing the Siege at this inclement season. The consequences to the health of the Army I shudder to think of, it is scarcely too much to expect that every one who has suffered from disease during the last six months will not relapse. Should this be the case, the Troops will be absolutely inefficient to any active operations in the Spring. Every one appears astonished, and all contemplate the preparations with a horror equal to their wonder. 5. The order for our March this day was last Night countermanded ; but it is feared that it is only a suspension for twenty four hours in consequence of the Bridge not being quite ready. 12. We did not leave Gallegos till the 7th, when we came to a small Village called Villa de Porco, where we still remain ; on the 8th Ciudad Rodrigo was invested, & the Evening of the same day a Redoubt of considerable importance to the final success of the enterprise was attacked and carried in very fine style by a Party of the Light Division under the orders of Col. Colburne of the 52d Regt. On the same Night ground was broke ; the Siege is carried on each Day by a Division of the Army ; the Light, ist 3d & 4th are the whole employed. We took the duty on the loth. During the twenty four hours our casualties amounted to three killed & twelve wounded, which was more than a half of the loss of the whole Division. There appeared much despondency at the commencement of the busi- ness on the part of the Engineers, though they seem since to think better of it; it is however rumoured that Marmont is assembling a formidable force, and many are of opinion he may succeed in raising the Siege. Our Batteries will not be ready to open these two or three Days. I have not heard what time it is calculated it will take to make a practicable breach, but it is certain that the Battering Train is as fine a one as ever was employed.—The weather is extremely cold, but very fine; our Cantonment is twelve miles from Ciudad Rodrigo.