CHAPTER IX
Journal—4th January-30th July 1812
The Light Division advances on Ciudad Rodrigo and fords the Agueda—Storming of Fort San Francisco—Commencement of the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo—The convents of Santa Cruz and San Francisco captured—Work in the advanced saps—Storming of Ciudad Rodrigo—Simmons is told off for one of the ladder parties—Rencontre with General Craufurd—The Forlorn Hope and storming parties advance and carry the breaches—The Rifles bivouac on the ramparts—Heavy losses of the Grenadiers of the 45th and 94th Regiments—Effects of the explosion of the magazine—Death of Lieutenant Uniacke—General Craufurd dies of his wounds—The Light Division marches back into Portugal—Advances again on Badajoz—Ground broken before Fort Picurina—Sortie of the French—Their cavalry enter the British camp—Storming of Fort Picurina—Lieutenant Stokes of the Rifles, the first man in—The British entrench themselves in the work under a heavy fire from the French—Batteries in Badajoz—Duty in the trenches—Simmons with forty good shots pick off the French artillerymen and silence the guns—A French officer endeavours to return the compliment, but is "put out of that" by a Rifle Man—Accident to Simmons—Storming of Badajoz—Major O'Hare of the Rifles in command of the storming party—Desperate fighting at the breaches—The Light Division unable to enter—Carnage in the ditch—The Light Division ordered to withdraw—The 3rd Division escalade the castle—Lord Wellington orders the Light Division to renew their attack—The town occupied—Simmons enters the house of the French Quartermaster-General and finds a sketch-map of the breaches showing the expected British lines of advance—At daybreak visits the breaches—The chevaux de frise and obstacles created by the French—Finds the body of Major O'Hare—"A Lieutenant-Colonel, or cold meat in a few hours"—Heavy losses of the Rifles and of the Light Division—Brother Maud comes to see if he is alive—The soldiers plunder the town—The Light Division marches towards Salamanca—Fighting near Salamanca—The British enter the town—Simmons' views of the priests and monks—March towards the Douro—Gets a good quarter at Nava del Rey—The armies on opposite banks of the Douro—Lord Wellington reconnoitres the French, and nearly falls into the hands of their cavalry—The British army retires, closely followed by the French—The marches previous to the battle—Skirmish on the Guareña—The French endeavour to turn the British left, but are checked by the 27th and 40th Regiments—An unlucky young Rifle Man—Marmont steals a march on Wellington—The British army fords the Tormes—Great thunderstorm—Battle of Salamanca—Simmons catches a partridge during the fight—Pursuit after Salamanca—Brilliant charge of the German Heavy Cavalry under General Bock—The Hussar officer and his brother—Visits the grave of General Férey and finds the Spaniards have exhumed him—The Rifle Men bury the body again.
Journal—4th January-30th July 1812
1812 Jan. 4th
A general movement of the troops took place. 1st Division marched to Gallegos and Espeja; 4th Division crossed the Agueda and occupied San Felices; 3rd Division occupied Martiago and Zamarra; Light Division entered Pastores, La Encina, and El Bodon. The latter place I marched to. A stormy, cold, incessant rain during the day. The Agueda much swollen. Forded it nearly up to the shoulders. The men obliged to put their pouches upon their knapsacks and lay hold of each other to prevent being forced down with the current. Some time exposed before there was any possibility of getting lodged. Officers, men, and all huddled together. Got our men better regulated and had three houses for the company.
8th
Several regiments had been ordered to prepare gabions and fascines, which we were aware could only be for the siege. The Light Division was ordered to move before day, and crossed the Agueda at a ford above the convent of La Caridad. Our march was conducted out of the range of shot from the town to the north side, and behind a hill in the vicinity of San Francisco. A redoubt was established here. We halted. Several French officers made their appearance, and politely took off their hats and spoke to us. They of course were very anxious to know what all this meant.
Colonel Colborne, with 360 men from the 43rd, 52nd, and 95th (Rifle Men) stormed the fort of San Francisco after dark. Three pieces of cannon, two captains, and forty-eight men were made prisoners, besides what fell by the bayonet in the assault.
9th