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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    is more immediately under the command of Lord Wellington in Person ; the right, consisting of the ist, 6th, & 7th Divisions, with the 14th Dragoons, is commanded by Sir Thos. Graham ; & the left, of the 3rd Division, Genl Pack’s & Bradford’s Portugueze Brigades, with the nth Light Dragoons & Genl. Le Marchant’s Heavy Brigade, are under the command of Genl. Picton. Lord W. is gone to reconnoitre as near as possible ; on his return it is probable the orders that will be then issued will give us some insight into his intentions. 16. We are in bivouack about a League & a half from Salamanca. There has been some skirmishing to-day in which we lost three Officers, & a few men wounded. Marmont is supposed to be still there, with about a thousand Cavalry and five thousand Infantry, but it is probable they will go off to-night, leaving a Garrison in two very strongly fortified Convents, which it is thought may give us some trouble. By a variety of intercepted Letters it appears that they have an intrenched camp, a short distance on this side of Valladolid, where they will be able to concentrate near forty thousand men, & where they purpose making a stand. Our force is about the same, added to which we are to be joined by twenty thousand Spaniards under Castanos. There is said to be little danger from Soult & Suchet, Lord W. having combined a plan of operations in the South, that will keep them fully employed. 26th. The Enemy went off on the night of the i6th, leaving seven or eight hundred men in the Convent of [San Vincente] which is fortified by several strong works. On the Morning of the 17th the whole Army moved to their front; Genl. Graham’s & Picton’s Columns crossed the Tormes by two Fords one above & the other below the River [? Town]; the 6th Division entered the Town, & the 4th & 5th Divisions bivouacked in a wood near the Ford where Genl. Picton s Column crossed. As the Convent the enemy possessed commanded the Bridge, without which Lord W. could not