Adventures with the Connaught Rangers, 1809-1814

The Author leaves the depot at Chelmsford, and proceeds to Page 1 join his regiment in Portugal—The _Samaritan_—Arrival at Lisbon—Measures adopted by General Junot—A night’s res...

Headquarters of the 88th Regiment—Its losses from Page 12 sickness—Unhealthy state of the country—The British army leaves the Alemtejo—General Picton takes the command of the 3r...

Masséna’s invasion of Portugal—Fall of Ciudad Rodrigo and Page 23 Almeida—Craufurd’s fight on the Coa—Anecdote of Colonel Charles Napier—The British retire to the position of Bu...

Occupation of the Lines of Torres Vedras—An army in Page 47 motley—An Irish interpreter—Death of the Marquis de la Romana—Retreat of Masséna’s army from Portugal—Indulgence of L...

Excesses and sufferings of the French during their Page 56 retreat—Combats of Foz d'Aronce and Sabugal—Battle of Fuentes d'Oñoro—Sir E. Pakenham, Colonel Wallace, and the 88th R...

Guerilla warfare; its true character—The 3rd Division Page 81 marches for the Alemtejo—Frenchmen and Irishmen on a march—English regiments—Colonel Wallace—Severe drilling—Mauric...

Second siege of Badajoz—A _reconnoissance_—Death of Captain Page 91 Patten—Attacks on Fort San Christoval—Their failure—Causes of their failure—Gallant conduct of Ensign Dyas, 5...

We withdraw from Badajoz—Dislike of the British soldier for Page 103 siege-work—Affair of El Bodon—Gallant conduct of the 5th and 77th Regiments—Narrow escape of the 88th from b...

Retreat of the French army—Vultures on the field of Page 118 battle—The Light Division and private theatricals—Major Leckie and the musician—Privations—The Connaught Rangers and...

Officers and sergeants—Fairfield and his bad Page 128 habit—Regimental mechanism—Impolitic familiarity—3rd Division at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo—Lieutenant D‘Arcy and Ody Brop...

Storm of Ciudad Rodrigo—Gallant conduct of three soldiers of Page 149 the 88th—Desperate struggle and capture of a gun—Combat between Lieutenant Faris and the French grenadier—A...

Results of the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo—The town Page 167 revisited—Capture of deserters—Sale of the plunder—Army rests in cantonments—An execution of deserters—A pardon that cam...

Preparations against Badajoz—Description of this Page 175 fortress—Its investment—Line of circumvallation formed in the night—Sortie of the garrison repulsed—Destructive fire of...

State of the enemy’s fort La Picurina from our fire—Attempt Page 187 to storm it—Desperate defence of the garrison—It is carried by assault—Preparations for the grand attack—Fri...

The sacking of Badajoz—Neglect of the wounded—Spaniards and Page 207 their plunderers—Disgraceful occurrences—Calamities of war—The author’s wound and uncomfortable couch—Extent...

Departure from Badajoz—The wounded left to the protection of Page 218 Spanish soldiers—Subsequently removed to Elvas—The author leaves Elvas to join the army—Spaniards and Portu...

State of the opposing armies previous to the battle of Page 232 Salamanca—Preliminary movements—The Duke of Ragusa's false movement—Pakenham engaged with the enemy’s left—Defeat...

Importance of the battle of Salamanca—Anecdotes of the Page 255 88th—Gallantry of Captain Robert Nickle—Pursuit of the defeated army of Marshal Marmont—French infantry in square...

The British army approach Madrid—Enthusiastic Page 267 welcome—Preparations to carry by assault the fortress of La China—It surrenders—Description of Madrid—The Puerto del Sol—T...

Arrests at Madrid—Advantages of speaking French—Seizure of Page 282 Don Saturio de Padilla by the police—The author effects his liberation—A bull day at Madrid—Private theatrica...

Sufferings of the army on the retreat—Jokes of the Connaught Page 302 Rangers—Letter of Lord Wellington—The junior officers—Costume of the author during the retreat—An unusual e...

End of the Burgos retreat—Cantonments in Portugal—Rest at Page 314 last—Shocking effects of excess in eating—The neighbourhood of Moimento de Beira—Wolves—The author employed to...

The Author leaves the depot at Chelmsford, and proceeds to join his regiment in Portugal—The _Samaritan_—Arrival at Lisbon—Measures adopted by General Junot—A night’s rest—Portu...

Headquarters of the 88th Regiment—Its losses from sickness—Unhealthy state of the country—The British army leaves the Alemtejo—General Picton takes the command of the 3rd Divisi...

In the month of January, 1810, Lord Wellington established his headquarters at Viseu, in Upper Beira, and the different brigades of cavalry and infantry were quartered in the ne...

This battle, fought upon the 27th September 1810, was one in which the losses of the French, and of the British and Portuguese army, commanded by Lord Wellington, were not of th...

Occupation of the Lines of Torres Vedras—An army in motley—An Irish interpreter—Death of the Marquis de la Romana—Retreat of Masséna’s army from Portugal—Indulgence of Lord Well...

The retreat of the French army from Portugal commenced on the night of the 5th of March 1811, and was marked by acts more suited to a horde of barbarians than a European army. O...

As soon as the town of Fuentes d'Oñoro was completely cleared of the enemy, we sheltered ourselves in the best manner we could behind the walls, and at the angles of the differe...

Guerilla warfare; its true character—The 3rd Division marches for the Alemtejo—Frenchmen and Irishmen on a march—English regiments—Colonel Wallace—Severe drilling—Maurice Quill...

Second siege of Badajoz—A _reconnoissance_—Death of Captain Patten—Attacks on Fort San Christoval—Their failure—Causes of their failure—Gallant conduct of Ensign Dyas, 51st Regi...

We withdraw from Badajoz—Dislike of the British soldier for siege-work—Affair of El Bodon—Gallant conduct of the 5th and 77th Regiments—Narrow escape of the 88th from being made...

Retreat of the French army—Vultures on the field of battle—The Light Division and private theatricals—Major Leckie and the musician—Privations—The Connaught Rangers and the shee...

The joke about Darby Rooney’s wardrobe, and the conversation that took place between him and General Mackinnon, was circulated throughout the army, and I believe there was not o...

The brigade reached Robleda at nine o’clock at night, and our quarters there, which at any time would have been considered good, appeared to us, after our wretched billets at Al...

Storm of Ciudad Rodrigo—Gallant conduct of three soldiers of the 88th—Desperate struggle and capture of a gun—Combat between Lieutenant Faris and the French grenadier—A Connaugh...

Results of the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo—The town revisited—Capture of deserters—Sale of the plunder—Army rests in cantonments—An execution of deserters—A pardon that came too late.

Preparations against Badajoz—Description of this fortress—Its investment—Line of circumvallation formed in the night—Sortie of the garrison repulsed—Destructive fire of the besi...

State of the enemy’s fort La Picurina from our fire—Attempt to storm it—Desperate defence of the garrison—It is carried by assault—Preparations for the grand attack—Frightful di...

The sacking of Badajoz—Neglect of the wounded—Spaniards and their plunderers—Disgraceful occurrences—Calamities of war—The author’s wound and uncomfortable couch—Extent of plund...

Departure from Badajoz—The wounded left to the protection of Spanish soldiers—Subsequently removed to Elvas—The author leaves Elvas to join the army—Spaniards and Portuguese—Rod...

State of the opposing armies previous to the battle of Salamanca—Preliminary movements—The Duke of Ragusa’s false movement—Pakenham engaged with the enemy’s left—Defeats the div...

Importance of the battle of Salamanca—Anecdotes of the 88th—Gallantry of Captain Robert Nickle—Pursuit of the defeated army of Marshal Marmont—French infantry in square broken a...

The British army approach Madrid—Enthusiastic welcome—Preparations to carry by assault the fortress of La China—It surrenders—Description of Madrid—The Puerto del Sol—The Prado—...

Arrests at Madrid—Advantages of speaking French—Seizure of Don Saturio de Padilla by the police—The author effects his liberation—A bull day at Madrid—Private theatricals—French...

Notwithstanding the attitude of Pakenham’s troops, and the excellent arrangement of the park of artillery under Douglas, the troopers of O‘Shea still menaced the ford. A brigade...

End of the Burgos retreat—Cantonments in Portugal—Rest at last—Shocking effects of excess in eating—The neighbourhood of Moimento de Beira—Wolves—The author employed to cater fo...

To those who have never seen service, or been present with the Peninsular army for a series of years, it would be rather a difficult task to make them comprehend the feelings of...

After six years of terrible war, the army of the Peninsula at length found a stop put to its victorious career, and the inhabitants of the city of Toulouse were the last who hea...