[434] A Captain Mellish, Wellington Dispatches, iv. 330 [to Murray] and 332 [to Beresford].
[435] Deposition of the Secretary to the late Governor of Oporto. Wellington Supplementary Dispatches, vi. 262 [May 13, afternoon].
[436] Wellington Dispatches, iv. 330, afternoon of May 13.
[437] Ibid. iv. 332, morning of May 14.
[438] It is astonishing to find that Murray succeeded in taking two light three-pounder guns over this difficult path. The fact reflects great credit on his gunners.
[439] The state of Amarante was dreadful. ‘I was never witness to such a scene of misery and horror as here presented itself,’ says Lord Gough in an unpublished letter to his father. ‘Every house and public building of every description, with the exception of a monastery which covered the passage of the bridge, a chapel, and about five detached houses, was burnt to the ground, with many of the late inhabitants lying dead in the streets.’
[440] The best testimony to Beresford’s good conduct is that Wellesley (Wellington Dispatches, iv. 343) says that he had exactly anticipated the instructions sent him, and carried them out on his own initiative. Napier’s criticism (ii. 116-7) is unfair and misleading.
[441] The best account of Beresford’s forced march is to be found in the unpublished letter of Lord Gough (then major of the 87th) which, as I have already mentioned, has been shown me by Mr. R. Rait of New College. He says: ‘The business of crossing the river took the Brigade (Tilson’s) four hours: the evening set in with a most dreadful fall of rain, which continued all night, and the next three days and nights. Our road lay over almost impassable mountains, made more so by the rain that swelled the mountain rivulets into rivers. In the dark many men lost the column, several fell into pits excavated by the falling water: many lay down in the road from fatigue and hunger, and the greater part lost their shoes.... Next day we pursued our melancholy march at five o’clock, the men nearly fainting with hunger: about twelve we fell in with some cars of bread belonging to a Portuguese division, which Gen. Tilson pressed for the men; this (with some wine) enabled us to proceed, and that night at twelve we reached Chaves, after a forced march of three days, with only twelve hours’ halt. The men were without a shoe to their feet, and hundreds fallen out from fatigue and hunger.... The 88th had, of 700 with which they joined us, only 150 in the ranks.... Part of the officers and nearly all the men had their feet cut to the bone for want of shoes.’
[442] The brigade had a company of the 5/60th attached, so had three instead of two light companies.
[443] ‘Il y avait à l’arrière-garde un excellent régiment d’infanterie légère, qui (vu la nature du terrain) pouvait facilement braver une armée entière: et bien, à l’apparition de l’ennemi, il s’est débandé sans qu’on ait pu lui faire entendre raison. La confusion qui a été le résultat de cette terreur panique a été épouvantable. Fantassins et cavaliers se précipitaient les uns sur les autres, jetaient leurs armes, et luttaient à qui courrait le plus vite. Le pont étroit et sans parapet ne pouvait suffire à l’impatience des fuyards, ils se pressaient tellement que nombre d’hommes furent précipités et noyés dans le torrent ou écrasés sous les pieds des chevaux. Si les Anglais avaient été en mesure de profiter de cette épouvante, je ne sais pas en vérité ce que nous serions devenus, tant la peur est contagieuse, même chez les plus braves soldats.’ Fantin des Odoards, p. 236.