Lord Wellington is continuing the pursuit of the enemy, who are retiring in great confusion. He was shot thro’ his Cloak and Holsters during the action, but, thank God, not hurt.
Salamanca, July 27, 1812.
My Dear Father,
I wrote to you on the 24th an account of the most glorious and decisive battle of the 22nd, and also telling you of our worthy Marshal being severely wounded. I am now most happy to be able to assure you that he is very much better, and doing as well as possible, is quite free from fever, and has kept very well. The ball does not appear to have touched the ribs, but to have gone round the muscles of the side. Lord Wellington has continued the pursuit of the enemy, who has retired in great confusion, and his Lordship was yesterday at Aldea Seca. Joseph Buonaparte had advanced to reinforce Marmont, but hearing of his disaster had retired, not before we had taken one of his Picquets.
I have not yet seen any return of the loss on either side. I believe ours to be between 3 and 4000 killed and wounded. Poor Le Marchant, whose son has just left me to return to England, was killed charging most gallantly at the head of his Brigade, and is a great loss to the Service (as he was an excellent Officer), and to his numerous family, who are now without father or mother. I pity them from my soul. Sir Stapleton Cotton, Genls. Leith, Cole, and Victor Allen, who are here, are doing very well. Leith’s wound is a severe one through his arm obliquely, but it has not broken the bone. His nephew Leith Hay is wounded, not badly, through the leg. The town is full of wounded Officers, who are mostly doing very well indeed. Poor Antonio de Lacerda’s son died, and he is himself here wounded. The son was a remarkably fine gallant lad, and the poor father is in great affliction.
The Enemy continue their retreat towards Madrid. We calculate their total loss at 15,000. We have 2 Generals, 2 Eagles, 2 Standards, 19 guns, and upwards of 6000 prisoners, and from the appearance of the field of battle, I should suppose they had left 1500 to 2000 dead on the field besides what they lost after they retired from their last position, and in the subsequent pursuit, in which they have been followed up very close, and compleatly routed whenever our advance has been able to come up with their rear-guard. Marmont, Bonnet, Clauzel, Thomier, are said to be badly wounded, besides Carrière and Gravier wounded and taken. The latter, I believe, is dead since.
Owing to the Army having advanced and the few means of transport, many of the wounded, particularly of the French, have suffered horribly, for, three days after, I saw a great many still lying, who had received no assistance or were likely to till next day, and had lain scorching in the sun without a drop of water or the least shade. It was a most dreadful sight. These are the horrid miseries of war. No person who has not witnessed them can possibly form any idea of what they are. Humanity shudders at the very idea, and we turn with detestation and disgust to the sole author of such miseries. What punishment can be sufficient for him! Many of the poor wretches have crawled to this. Many made crutches of the barrels of the firelocks and their shoes. Cruel and villainous as they are themselves, and even were during the action to our people, one cannot help feeling for them and longing to be able to assist them. But our own people have suffered almost as much, and they are our first care.
I am very well and have quite recovered the fatigue we went through for several days, but I am most happy that the Marshal is doing so well. During the action I escaped quite providentially, as I have a shot through my holster and two on my sword scabbard, but as long as they keep at that distance I shall be very well satisfied.