[206] Espinchel commanded that which went farthest, to the bridge in front of Santi Espiritus: he says that the whole road was lined with broken-down carts and carriages, and strewn with dead men. About 100 British stragglers were gathered in.
[207] The tale may be found with details, told from Wellington’s point of view, in Supplementary Dispatches, vii. p. 494. The chief offender was W. Stewart, who had succeeded to the command of the 1st Division on Paget’s capture the preceding day. The others Wellington describes as ‘new-comers’ so they must have been Oswald and Lord Dalhousie, for the other divisional commanders in this column, Clinton and C. Alten, were not in any sense ‘new-comers’. I think, therefore, that Mr. Fortescue is wrong in giving the names of the culprits as Stewart, Dalhousie, and Clinton.
[208] See Napier, iv. p. 386. But cf. Fitzroy Somerset’s version in Greville Memoirs, i. pp. 136-7.
[209] Donaldson of the 94th, p. 184. Grattan (p. 315) has a story of a Connaught Ranger who ate, in addition to his rations, six ox-heads on six successive days, and died of inflammation of the bowels.
[210] Grattan, pp. 303 and 305-6.
[211] Seventeen of the Chasseurs Britanniques were tried all together for desertion in October 1812! They were mostly Italians. And for one man recaptured and tried, how many got away safely?
[212] See Dispatches, ix. pp. 601-2.
[213] See Dispatches, ix. pp. 562 and 570.
[214] See the Life of Burgoyne, who was sent to look after the threatening symptoms, vol. i. p. 246.
[215] The troops of the Army of Portugal began to march east as early as November 20, long before Soult got back into touch with them. Jourdan to Clarke, from Salamanca, November 20.