Letters from the peninsula, 1808-1812

by Sir William Warre

I believe the whole Army would rejoice if they would cross the River and attack us, as I am quite confident we should beat them, though they have 80 pieces of cannon. Their Cavalry is much inferior to ours in every respect, and they have such want of horses that they have taken all the Infantry officers’ horses to mount their cavalry, and which has given great disgust, and would, I should think, benefit them very little.

What Lord Wn.’s plans are I cannot even guess. He is best informed and best able to decide what is best. We must therefore quietly wait the event, and, in the healthy state and high spirits of the army, we have little to fear for the result.

I do not doubt much that he is waiting for Santo Cildes with the Galician army, who are besieging the Fort at Astorga, to advance and co-operate with him previous to any movement on our part. But this is only guess. I am surprised that the French, who have, I believe, nearly equal numbers, do not attack us before this co-operation can take place, particularly as they do not seem to expect any further reinforcements.

Our posts on the river continue very near each other, very amicably, and literally nothing has been done by posts of any consequence since I wrote to you. The account I sent you was of the Portuguese Army only, and it has since rather increased, as we have left sick and wounded.

The enemy have also some posts at Villa Nueva and Puente de Douro and on the river Adaja....

With regard to the purchase of the majority of Infantry, as I had purchased my Troop, the purchase of a majority of Infantry required no advance. On the contrary, by the regulation there would be a surplus of £500, and my intention was to have remained in the Infantry for some time at least. But other considerations have since decided me not to go into the Infantry at all, except I got a permanent Staff situation, or was quite sure of returning to the Cavalry immediately. I do not quite agree that the command of a Portuguese Battn. would be much less eligible than my present situation, as far as the means of distinguishing myself goes, as I should then have a positive command and responsibility, and now have, nor can have, neither, and it must at last come to that, or to my joining my British Regiment.... Yrs., etc.,

Wm. Warre.

A very dreadful accident happened at Salamanca since we left it. A very large quantity of powder which had been taken in the Fort and was deposited in the Town caught fire and blew up, in consequence of the folly of a Spanish Officer, who was guarding it, smoking. Two streets were, I hear, almost totally destroyed. The whole guard and upwards of 100 Spaniards (inhabitants) killed and wounded, and some soldiers. The town was otherwise very much damaged and all the windows broke, and in the greatest confusion, as everybody fled into the country, many en chemise, it having happened at 8 o’clock in the morning. It happened very near one of our hospitals, but fortunately killed very few of our sick or wounded. The weather has latterly been exceedingly hot, and it is very fortunate that we have not been moving, as our people are suffering a good deal from want of wood and water.

July 14th.—By an intercepted mail from Paris to Madrid which was taken by Longa, who killed the 400 men who escorted it except 12, who, he says, did not show so strong an inclination to leave their bodies there, we have Moniteurs to the 24th, by which it appears that Boney was arrived at Konigsberg. Amongst a great many letters, amatory, friendly, etc., there is one from the Spanish Ambassador at St Petersburg, who describes the state of the Russian Armies as very formidable and in excellent order—both on the frontiers of Poland and Turkey. The Emperor and Romanzow without any boasting, he says, are quietly determined to try the event. They wish to settle matters with Napoleon amicably if possible, but will not even hear of the Commercial system. All the letters complain of not hearing from their friends in Spain, and of the frequent interception of the mails by the Guerillas. Adieu—we have nothing new with this Army. I am well.