A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be

by James Campbell

This noise, however, and the reports of their muskets suddenly ceased; the roof of the building had fallen in, and they were all swallowed up amidst the ruins!

These wretched men were, I conclude, returned by their regiments as killed in the assault of the fortress.

Lord Wellington, I have reason to believe, ordered the 45th regiment, (then under the command of the present Major-General Sir Leonard Greenwell,) such was his opinion of their firmness, at the battle of Fuentes d'Onor, to receive in line, and without forming square, the enemy's cavalry then advancing in force towards them, if they should venture to charge. The experiment was not, however, made, for the French, I conclude, observing such a steady determined front presented to them, thought it wiser to retire, especially as they were at the time suffering severely from our cannon; but I have no doubt, as to what would have been the result, had they ventured to charge; yet this, if even successful, could not have been compared to the splendid achievement of the 5th regiment, in the famous retreat of the 3rd division from Elbodon to Guinaldo, in which I saw that corps receive the charge of the French cavalry steadily and firmly; to my delight and astonishment, however, they in turn charged them, and drove them down the hill with considerable loss. The 5th and 45th were, perhaps, as steady under arms, and as well conducted regiments as any in the army; yet I have seen both led away at sieges, and upon other occasions, when opportunities presented themselves, like the rest. I feel, however, that I ought here to give Lord Wellington's orders issued immediately after the retreat alluded to.

"G.O. Richosa, 2d October, 1811.

"No. 3. The Commander of the Forces is desirous of drawing the attention of the army to the conduct of the 2d battalion, 5th and 77th regiments, and the 21st Portuguese regiment, and Major Arentschild's Portuguese artillery, under the command of the Hon. Major-General Colville, and of the 11th Light Dragoons and 1st Hussars, under Major-General Alten, in the affair with the enemy on the 26th ult. These troops were attacked by between thirty and forty squadrons of cavalry, with six pieces of cannon, supported by a division consisting of fourteen battalions of infantry, with cannon.

"No. 4. The Portuguese artillerymen were cut down at their guns before they quitted them; but the 2nd battalion, 5th regiment, attacked the cavalry which had taken the guns, and retook them. At the same time the 77th regiment were attacked in front by another body of cavalry, upon which they advanced and repulsed them.

"No. 5. While these actions were performed, Major-General Alten's brigade, of which there were only three squadrons on the ground, were engaged on the left, with numbers infinitely superior to themselves. These squadrons charged repeatedly, supporting each other, and took above twenty prisoners; and notwithstanding the immense superiority of the enemy, the post would have been maintained, if the Commander of the Forces had not ordered the troops to withdraw from it, seeing that the action would become still more unequal, as the enemy's infantry were likely to be engaged in it, before the reinforcement ordered to the support of the post could arrive.

"No. 6. The troops then retired with the same determined spirit, and in the same good order with which they had maintained their post—the 2nd battalion, 5th regiment, and 77th, in one square, and the 21st Portuguese regiment in another, supported by Major-General Alten's cavalry and the Portuguese artillery. The enemy's cavalry charged three faces of the square of the British infantry, but were beaten off; and finding from their repeated fruitless efforts, that the brave troops were not to be broken, they were contented to follow them at a distance, and with firing upon them with their artillery, till the troops joined the remainder of the 3rd division, and were afterwards supported by a brigade of the 4th division.

"Although the 21st Portuguese regiment were not actually charged by the cavalry, their steadiness and determination were conspicuous, and the Commander of the Forces observed with pleasure the order and regularity with which they made all their movements, and the confidence they showed in their officers.

"No. 7. The Commander of the Forces has been particular in stating the details of this action in the general orders, as, in his opinion, it affords a memorable example of what can be effected by steadiness, discipline and confidence. It is impossible that any troops can, at any time, be exposed to the attack of numbers relatively greater than those which attacked the troops under Major-General Colville, and Major-General Alten, on the 25th of September; and the Commander of the Forces recommends the conduct of those troops to the particular attention of the officers and soldiers of the army, as an example to be followed on all such circumstances.