The journal of an Army surgeon during the Peninsular War / [by Charles Boutflower].
- Boutflower, Charles, 1782-1844.
- Date:
- [1912]
Licence: In copyright
Credit: The journal of an Army surgeon during the Peninsular War / [by Charles Boutflower]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
88/192 (page 84)
![[1811] compelled to retire to the other side of the Coa, so that the [April] campaign in the North of Portugal may be considered as terminated. The whole Army here long for the presence of the Comr. of the Forces, so unbounded is their confidence in him; and indeed he does appear to leave far behind him all his Competitors for Military Fame. loth. At one in the morning of the 7th we crossed the Guadiana, and proceeded about half a League on the Road leading to Olivenza. Our entrance into Spain was marked by an event sufficiently calamitous, when it is considered it might have been avoided by Common Prudence. We had just laid down after reaching our halting ground on the Morning of the 7th when we were alarmed by a sharp firing in the midst of the Camp ; the confusion was general, most of the men being in a sound sleep. The cause of the Alarm was a Party of French Dragoons who had forced our Picquets, and had the audacity to come to the very confines of our Camp ; fortunately they were not aware of our confusion and they retired. We had how- ever the mortification to learn very soon that they surprised two Squadrons of the 13th Dragoons, & that they had taken them off in triumph to Olivenza. This unfortunate business is said to be wholly attributable to the Officer commanding that portion of the Cavalry who tho’ in the most advanced post of the Army had suffered his men to unbridle, and they were thus rendered incapable of resistance.—We remained on the same ground the whole of that Day and the 8th, during which time the other part of the Army, Artillery, Stores, Baggage, etc., etc., were crossing the river. Yesterday morning we proceeded on the Road towards Olivenza, and halted about a Mile from the Town. Marshal Beresford sent in a Flag of Truce offering Terms, which were rejected by the Garrison, tho’ they do not amount to four hundred men. Some very extraordinary reason must be the cause of the enemy leaving so inefficient a force. The Marshal has sent to Elvas for heavy Artillery for the purpose of making a breaching Battery, & taking it by Storm,](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28999587_0088.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
