Alameda, May 5th 1813.
Dear Parents—Since our retreat from Madrid we have spent a very pleasant and comfortable winter. The village that we have been in all the winter is very small, the houses bad, and the inhabitants poor, miserable creatures. They have a fire on the ground, which generally smokes so intolerably that we frequently are obliged to go out of the house. As soon as an officer gets into a house that is allotted to him, he must build a chimney, as it has been very cold and rainy this winter, particularly in this part of the country. When we got a little settled in the village and found it was likely we should stop some months in this place, we established a regimental mess. There we had the best of things that this part of the country could produce; it was a means of passing away the dreary winter nights pleasantly. We usually gave a ball once a week to the ladies of the village, who did us the honour to attend it. If you saw them they would astonish you. They dress in short brown jackets, and petticoats of the same, very coarse, figured with ridiculous patches of red cloth. These delicate ladies feed so grossly and eat so much garlic, that it is enough to suffocate a person being in the room with twenty or thirty of them. I am only giving you a description of the women in the villages on this mountainous frontier. In large towns there are beautiful women, and something like the English (but not so fair), who dress splendidly in black satin. We received a letter from Maud the other day. He is very well. In his regiment they do not understand carrying on the war so well as our officers. My brother George gives him sometimes a little advice how to live. When I joined my regiment at Madrid I happened to meet with my brother Maud before George. He told me he had had nothing to eat for two or three days; it had rained all that time. I had just received four days' rations. We went into an old house and cooked some mutton chops and drank my rations of rum. His Colonel gave him leave to go with me to find my brother George. As soon as we joined my brother, he gave us a good dinner and plenty of wine and took great care of me. My brother was well provided with blankets. I was then near dead with starvation. I had marched three days with very little to eat, and it was raining most of the time. He soon started the ague away from me, but being obliged to ride with my regiment and continually raining, brought on the ague again. Near the end of the retreat I was so bad that I could hardly bear to sit upon my horse with dysentery and ague, so that my brother had me, as well as his duty, to mind. If I had fallen to the rear I should have been taken by the French. One day in particular, when the enemy was firing at us very briskly, and having a river to cross, I was so ill that I could not make the horse travel. My brother returned to me and seized my horse by the bridle and forced him through the river nearly up to the waist; at that time a cannon shot struck the water as we passed. I had to lie out all that night with only my brother's cloak over me. It rained most of the night. The reason of not having more was on account of the baggage being sent to the rear. We had nothing to eat but acorns for several days, as we were passing through a large wood. We are provided with everything for the ensuing campaign. We are all wishing to be on the move again. Desire my love to my aunt, uncle, sisters, and brother.—I remain, your affectionate son,
Joseph Simmons, Lieut., 95th Regt.
Postscript, written across the Preceding by George Simmons
I desired Joe to write this letter. I think you will find he has much improved since he came under my tuition. As soon as you receive this letter, if you have not had the first, which I sent a week previous to this, you must present this bill for payment, observing the first having miscarried. I should hope you have received the first bill; if so, destroy this one. Lord Wellington, our illustrious chief, will review us in a day or two, which he always does yearly, previous to commencing the campaign. I hope we shall finish the campaign by driving the French out of the country, and may our next year's fighting be either in Germany or Italy. I do not want to see England till I am a captain. Joe has grown much. He is rather delicate. If he does not become stout I shall send him to our depôt in England for a year or two. I hope he will be able to rough it with me, as I am convinced it will ultimately be more to his advantage.
Joe is here telling you a story of escaping from being a prisoner. There is a good deal of truth in it. However, I told him he should not talk nonsense about me. He will know better as he grows older.
I often pleasure myself with the idea that if anything happens to me, Joe will be a comfort to his family. I often talk to him upon the subject. I got a number of silver forks and spoons. They are so weighty, I shall be under the necessity of selling them. I bought them after the sacking of Rodrigo and Badajoz for a trifle from one of our men. I meant them for Ann. However, she shall lose nothing in the end. I shall purchase some little thing more portable. God bless you.
G. S.