| Officers, Royal Artillery | Lieut. E. Hawker, killed. |
| Lieut. W. Saunders, wounded. | |
| Officers, Portuguese Artillery | Captain Barreiros, wounded. |
| Lieut. Lopez, wounded dangerously. |
| Killed. | Wounded. | |
|---|---|---|
| N.-C. officers and men, Royal Artillery | 0 | 4 |
| N.-C. officers and men, Portuguese Artillery | 6 | 28 |
| Total | 6 | 32 |
In his despatch to Lord Liverpool, announcing the raising of the siege, in addition to expressing his great satisfaction with the Corps, Lord Wellington said that the British service had derived great advantage in the different operations against Badajoz from Major Dickson’s zeal, activity, and intelligence.
The subsequent sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and of Badajoz, which took place in 1812, were in marked contrast to those described in this chapter; and the rapidity with which the breaches were then made was mainly due to the employment of iron ordnance from England, instead of the miserable brass Portuguese guns which were employed in the sieges of To Lord Liverpool, 13 June, 1811. 1811.[27] Of these guns, Lord Wellington truly said that they were very ancient and incomplete, and that their fire was very uncertain. It had at first been intended to fire at the rate of 120 rounds a gun per diem: but that was soon found to be impossible with the wretched brass pieces at the disposal of Major Dickson. It was therefore reduced to 80 rounds; but even with this limited expenditure the guns were repeatedly disabled by the effect of their own fire.
The Peninsular sieges cannot be thoroughly understood without two points being borne in mind. First, the besieged cities belonged to, and were inhabited by, the allies of England, and the war was only with the garrison. The Artillery fire, therefore, was confined to breaching, and dismounting the ordnance in battery,—not used for bombardment. Secondly, the sieges were mere episodes in Wellington’s general operations, not goals to which these operations tended. Hence, in 1811, the raising of sieges, without hesitation, after but a brief continuance; and hence, also, in 1812, the rapidity and loss of life with which he stormed cities, rather than complicate his plans by indulging in siege operations of a longer and, perhaps, more regular description.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz.
The enemy approaching in force, after the raising of the second siege of Badajoz, the Allies crossed the river on the 17th June, 1811, and on the 19th encamped between Elvas and Campo Maior. Elvas had been put in a state of siege, and a position had been marked out behind Campo Maior, in case the French should show any inclination to attack. The bold front which Lord Wellington here showed deceived the two French Marshals, Marmont and Soult, who had now united their armies, and entered Badajoz in triumph, Major Dickson to D.-A.-Gen. dated 26 June, 1811. congratulating its gallant governor, Philippon. They concluded that he must have received great reinforcements; and although they crossed the Guadiana with a great body of cavalry supported with infantry, and one or two small affairs with the outposts took place,—they declined a general engagement. A want of entente cordiale between Marmont and Soult led soon to a separation,—the latter moving towards Seville, whither Wellington despatched Blake’s Spanish troops,—and the former marching away by the valley of the Cust. Tagus towards Almaraz. Thus relieved of their presence, Lord Wellington took up his quarters at Pontalegre, and allowed his army to have some repose after its recent exertions.
This seems a favourable moment for placing before the reader a tabular return (see next page) which shows the gradual increase in the Artillery element of Lord Wellington’s army in the Peninsula. Prepared from the monthly returns, it shows the numbers at different periods, distinguishing between the Royal and Foreign Artilleries. The point which will doubtless strike the reader most is the steady increase in the force of Horse Artillery and Artillery drivers, which took place; marking the growing recognition of that which had hitherto been overlooked to a great extent,—the value of mobility in Field Artillery.
| A. | March. | B. | May. | C. | January. |
| D. | April. | E. | May. | F. | July. |
| G. | December. | H. | January. | I. | April. |
Return of the Royal British and German Artillery attached to the Army under the Command of the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula and France at the undermentioned periods.