Volume 1

Life of Sir Roderick I. Murchison, bart.; K.C.B., F.R.S.; sometime director-general of the Geological survey of the United kingdom / based on his journals and letters ; with notices of his scientific contemporaries and a sketch of the rise and growth of palaeozoic geology in Britain, by Archibald Geikie.

Archibald Geikie

Date:: 1875

Credit: Life of Sir Roderick I. Murchison, bart.; K.C.B., F.R.S.; sometime director-general of the Geological survey of the United kingdom / based on his journals and letters ; with notices of his scientific contemporaries and a sketch of the rise and growth of palaeozoic geology in Britain, by Archibald Geikie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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69/432 page 47

1809. ] THE BATTLE OF CORUNNA. 4T to move his brigade towards the enemy’s flank, and com- pelled them to withdraw—not, however, before poor Moore, galloping out from the town, fell, while encouraging the troops; and Baird, who marched his division out of the town, had lost his arm. My own brigade had much less to do, our front line and picquets being alone engaged. “ As night fell, and after the firing had ceased, the enemy having returned to his own ground, we received the order to march into Corunna and embark. Our fires were left burning to deceive the enemy, and make him believe that he must fight us again next morning if he hoped to beat us. es “Silently and regularly we moved on on this our last short night-march in the dark tranquil night of the 16th, and passing through the gates reached the quay. The names of our respective transports had previously been explained to us, my own being the brig ‘Reward, which I found to be from Sunderland. I was on deck as light dawned, and then at once saw the danger of the position of this miserable little transport, as well as of a dozen or more of the same craft. They had been foolishly allowed to anchor im- mediately under the tongue of high land which forms the eastern side of the harbour, and on which there were no land defences. Knowing that this ground was only a continua- tion of the hilly track on which my division had marched a few hours before, and being certain that the French would with the peep of day pass over our old bivouac to this pro- montory, I at once urged our skipper to get up his anchor betimes. But the grog had, I suppose, been strong that night. He exclaimed, ‘Why, I tell you what, the brave High- landers are there; they have not come away like you folks.’

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