[176] D’Urban, an eye-witness, thinks that Wellington ought to have called up Hill and attacked, despite of all difficulties. ‘Lord Wellington arrived upon the ground at about 12 noon, and at first appeared inclined to attack what of the enemy had already passed, with the divisions and cavalry on the spot. The success of such a measure appeared certain, and would have frustrated all the enemy’s projects. However, his opinion changed: they were allowed to continue passing unmolested.’
[177] Mémoires, p. 448. Cf. also Napier, iv. p. 381, who seems to share the idea. ‘Why, it may be asked, did the English commander, having somewhat carelessly suffered Soult to pass the Tormes and turn his position, wait so long on the Arapiles position as to render a dangerous movement (retreat in face of the enemy and to a flank) necessary?’
[178] This horrid reminiscence I found in the unpublished letters of Hodenberg of the 1st Heavy Dragoons K.G.L., which I reprinted in Blackwood’s Magazine in the year 1913.
[179] Details about the exact drawing-up of the second line and reserves seem impossible to discover. I have only accurate notes as to the position of the front line and some of the cavalry and the 1st Division.
[180] For doing this Jourdan criticized Soult for over-caution, and wasting of time, describing this measure as timid and unnecessary. Mémoires, p. 443.
[181] Donaldson of the 94th. Recollections, p. 179.
[182] The 4th Division formed the infantry rearguard on the southern road, the Light Division that on the central road.
[183] Colonel James Willoughby Gordon seems not to have been a success as quarter-master-general. Very soon after his arrival we get notes in the earlier part of the Salamanca campaign that intelligent officers ‘thought he would not stop long with the Army.’ Cf. Tomkinson, p. 224: ‘Nothing could equal the bad arrangements of the Quartermaster-General—the cavalry all retired by one road, allowing that of the enemy to follow our infantry’ [of the central column on November 18]—which was not covered, all the horse having gone on the western or left road. Wellington had a worse accusation against him than mere incapacity (of this more will be found in chap. iii of sect. xxxv)—that of sending letters home which revealed military secrets which got into the English papers. In September he made up his mind that Gordon must not see his dispatches, and must be ‘kept at as great distance as possible’ (Supplementary Dispatches, vii. pp. 427-8). He was sent home before the next campaign.
[184] D’Urban’s diary.
[185] See Foy, Vie militaire, p. 190. He was a witness to the conversation. And cf. Espinchel, Mémoires, ii. p. 73, who gets the hour too late and exaggerates the contact of the armies. He says that 12 of Hill’s guns opened on the French light cavalry. Cf. also Joseph to Clarke of December 20.