CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE OF TALAVERA
1809.
In all the movements and privations of the British army in this advance the 83rd bore its full share; and on the 27th and 28th July, when under Sir Arthur Wellesley, it fought and won the glorious battle of Talavera. The battalion was most severely engaged, and particularly distinguished itself in the gallant and impetuous charge on the enemy’s line, made by General Sherbrook’s division with the bayonet.
In this battle, General Alan Cameron’s brigade, composed of the 61st and 83rd Regiments, was posted in the left centre of the front line, with the brigade of Guards on its right, and the German Legion on its left, and about 100 paces in its front, occupied by its Light Infantry, was the dry, rocky bed of a mountain torrent. On the 27th, the French attempted to turn the allies’ left, and to take a height in front of General Hill’s division. In this they were unsuccessful, but the following day, at about 2 p.m., they renewed their efforts, and made a general attack on the whole line.
The battle then recommenced, and raged with redoubled fury. The French guns played with murderous precision on General Cameron’s brigade, and the men of the 61st and 83rd Regiments were mowed down by sections.
Under cover of this fire, the French Infantry, in imposing masses, advanced rapidly and steadily to the attack.
The 83rd Regiment had been previously ordered to lie down to avoid the tremendous cannonade directed against it; but on the French battalion nearing the ravine on its front, it rose up, and with the 61st advancing steadily to meet them, allowed their dark columns to approach to within thirty paces of their ranks, then, pouring in a well-directed and destructive volley, it dashed impetuously forward through the ravine, and, charging vigorously with the bayonet, drove the enemy with great slaughter headlong before them.
The regiment followed in pursuit, until it received the command to retire, when, facing about and carrying off its wounded, it steadily recrossed the ravine, and, amid the warm encomiums of General Cameron himself, resumed its original position in the line; this (together with the 61st) it maintained with unflinching resolution till the close of the day, when the French (who had been temporarily successful on the right and left of the brigade) were compelled to return, leaving the victory to the British.
The very severe loss of the 83rd in this hard-fought battle, amounting to nearly half its number present, fully testifies the honourable service it performed.
Its commanding officer, Colonel Gordon, while cheering and leading on his men, fell in the first burst of the glorious charge at their head.
Three lieutenants—Montgomery, Dahman, and Flood—with 2 sergeants and 64 rank and file, were killed with him. Two captains—Summerfield and Reynolds; 7 lieutenants—Abel, Johnstone, Nicholson, Pine, Boggie, Baldwin, and Ferris; 4 ensigns—Lord Tulloch, Barry, Carey, and Irwin; and Adjutant Brahan, with 15 sergeants, 2 drummers, and 265 rank and file, were wounded; making the total casualties of the battalion 365 rank and file killed and wounded, and amongst the latter many were so badly injured that on the subsequent abandonment of Talavera by the Spaniards, the greater part, being unable to move, fell into the hands of the French.
For the services of the regiment in this arduous battle, Sir William Gordon, the brother of Colonel Gordon, received the medal which would have decorated that gallant soldier’s breast, had he happily survived the action.
Lieutenant Pine, the subaltern of the Grenadier Company of the 83rd, was promoted to a company in the 66th Regiment for his distinguished valour in hastening to the assistance of the colours—in carrying which through this battle, officer after officer had been shot down. Lieutenant Pine seized one of the colours and bore it gallantly forward, and did not relinquish it till he was himself severely wounded and obliged to be relieved of his honourable burden. Many sergeants also were killed and wounded in protecting the colours through this fierce battle.
Its casualties, however, had so weakened the 83rd, that it was deemed unable to keep the field any longer; it was on this account ordered to Lisbon, and on its departure from the army General Cameron expressed his approbation of the corps, and his appreciation of its conduct in the battle of Talavera, in the following brigade order:—
“BRIGADE ORDERS
“Talavera de la Real, August 29th, 1809.
“The death of Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, who so gloriously fell at the head of the 2nd Battalion 83rd Regiment, while charging the enemy on the 28th ult., leaves Brigadier-General Cameron the painful necessity of regretting the loss of a sincere friend and gallant officer, and his regiment that of a brave and worthy commander.
“The conduct of the 83rd Regiment in the arduous contest of Talavera merits the Brigadier-General’s warmest thanks, and he hopes that Major Napper will justly appreciate the merits of those few that are left.
“The very weak state of the 83rd renders it necessary to send them to Lisbon. The Brigadier-General requests them to accept of his best acknowledgments for their uniform good conduct whilst under his command, and has, at the same time, to assure them that he shall be proud to have the 83rd again in his brigade, when established in health and numbers.
“By order,
“(Signed) H. Balneavis, Captain,
“Acting Brigade Major.”
In addition to the above honourable testimonial to its services in this action, the 83rd has been graciously permitted to have the word “Talavera” inscribed on its colours and appointments, in commemoration of its distinguished gallantry in that battle.
The battalion arrived in Lisbon in October, 1809, and remained there till the beginning of September, 1810, during which period Lieutenant-Colonel Collins joined from the 1st Battalion and assumed the command.
In the beginning of September, 1810, the battalion being re-established in health, and numbering 600 rank and file, marched under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Collins, to join Lord Wellington, at that time retiring to the frontiers of Portugal. It effected its junction with the army the same month, and was placed in the left brigade of the 3rd Division, commanded by General Picton, and in the celebrated division which acquired in the army the distinguished appellation of the “Fighting Division” the 83rd had the honour of serving throughout the remainder of the Peninsular campaigns.
With it, therefore, and its heroic commander, Sir Thomas Picton, the services of the battalion in this memorable war are henceforth identified, being engaged in every skirmish, battle, and assault which this renowned division fought and won, and in every glorious deed of daring and honour it was ever so nobly performing.
On the 26th and 27th of September the battalion was engaged in the actions on the Sierra de Busaco; but the brunt of the battle falling to the good fortune of the right brigade, its casualties were few, amounting only to 1 lieutenant (Lieutenant Colthurst) and 6 rank and file wounded. For the services of the regiment on this occasion Colonel Collins received a medal, and his Majesty was pleased to sanction the word “Busaco” being borne on its colours and appointments.
Shortly after Lieutenant-Colonel Collins was removed to the command of a brigade in the Portuguese service, and the command of the 83rd devolved upon Major H. W. Carr.
After the decisive and signal repulse of the French at Busaco, the British army continued its retrograde movement until it was halted by its skilful commander in the strongly fortified lines of Torres Vedras, and the regiment remained in position in these celebrated lines till the month of March, 1811, when the French, under Marshal Massena, commenced its retreat.
The British army followed in eager and hot pursuit, and the 3rd Division hanging closely on the rear, the 83rd was in constant and warm engagement with the enemy.
It came up with them at Leyria, Pombal, and Condeixa, and in the skirmishes at those places, and at Fleur-de-Lis, Guarda, and Sabugal, its casualties amounted to 2 sergeants and 52 men killed and wounded.
In May following, the battalion was actively engaged in the actions at Fuentes d’Onor, on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of that month, and was mentioned in Lord Wellington’s despatch of the battle, as being distinguished in the defence of the village of Fuentes d’Onor, and the repulse of the enemy therefrom. Its casualties, however, were fortunately but few, amounting to 1 lieutenant (Ferris) and 6 rank and file killed, and 1 lieutenant (Vereker), 1 sergeant, and 22 rank and file wounded, and his Majesty was pleased to sanction the word “Fuentes d’Onor” being inscribed on the colours and appointments of the 83rd, in commemoration of the distinguished conduct of the battalion in that battle.
The same month the battalion was employed in the first siege of Badajoz, and had 6 rank and file wounded in the trenches.
The siege being raised, the regiment assisted in the blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo, and on the 25th September, when Marshal Marmont advanced to the relief of that fortress, the 83rd, with Colville’s brigade, then composed of the 5th (2nd Battalion), 77th, 83rd, and 94th Regiments, greatly distinguished itself. On that occasion immense bodies of French cavalry, supported by artillery and infantry, attacked the 5th and 77th Regiments in their position on a hill, covering the road to Guinaldo; but these two gallant regiments nobly sustained their assault, and repeatedly repulsed the enemy. Their flank, however, being threatened, Lord Wellington gave the order to retire, when, being joined by the remaining regiments of the brigade, the whole, driving back the French horsemen whenever they approached them, fell back steadily, until they reached Guinaldo, where they were halted, and joined the day after by the right brigade, which, stationed at Pastores, had been cut off by the movement. In this gallant affair the 83rd had 1 sergeant and 5 rank and file killed, and 3 sergeants and 16 rank and file wounded.