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.

    147/192 (page 143)
    [JDLY] trouble to force. The Country we pass through is highly fertile, but the Com is everywhere lamentably destroyed. The Villages have been systematically plundered by the Enemy, the Churches destroyed, and vast numbers of Houses burnt to the ground ; indeed the same scenes present themselves, that we witnessed in Portugal on the retreat of Massena. It would really appear from these horrible devastations that they have little hope or expectation of speedily returning to this part of the Country. Official accounts from the South state that Soult has retired, being unwilling to risk an action with the Force under General Hill. July 3d. We continued our route towards Valladolid yesterday and the preceding day. We halted yesterday near a considerable Town called Medina del Campo, where we still remain. Of the cause of the halt we are entirely ignorant. There was some skirmishing yesterday, in which the Enemy lost about thirty men; ours was very trifling. We have heard some firing to-day on the left, but know not what was the cause or consequence of it. Medina is a large and very old town, standing on the high Road from Madrid to Corunna. Its population before the war was about twelve thousand, but it is at present greatly deserted. This being the first time a British Force has been there, the people are remarkably civil; they have had a French Garrison in the place from the very first day it was occupied by them. The enemy have abandoned Toro, leaving a small Garrison there; it is probable however we shall not trouble ourselves about them. It lies off the Road to Valladolid, where their principal force is. Medina is distant from Madrid thirty Leagues, and from Valladolid eight. 7th. There has been no move since my last date. Our inactivity proceeds from an impossibility of crossing the Douro. The Enemy have destroyed the several bridges over it, with the exception of that at Tordesillas, which is so strongly fortified that it cannot be forced. There are different