Awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Brunton.
Retreat to Coruña.—Then began the awful yet masterly retreat to Coruña. Through rain and snow, and over almost impassable roads, the British army of about 19,000 retreated with the French army of about 60,000, with 91 guns, hanging on without daring to do more than press the retreat, which became so demoralising to Moore's army, that not only had baggage to be abandoned, but guns and treasure to the amount of £25,000 were thrown over a precipice near Nogales to prevent any possibility of their falling into the hands of the enemy. And so, with his army of comparatively raw troops, Sir John Moore resolutely and defiantly made his way to Coruña, pursued by the veterans, under Ney and Soult, only to find on arriving at the port that the transports which were to bear them to England had not arrived! There was nothing to be done but to accept battle, and this he did in such a splendid manner that it makes his death in the hour of victory an imperishable memory, while the recollection of the valour of his much-tried and distressed soldiers will last as long as men respect courage, especially that which triumphs in the face of adversity. Sir John Moore was buried on the ramparts of Coruña by his staff officers and a few men of the Black Watch and other regiments he loved, but—
"No useless coffin enclosed his breast,
Nor in sheet nor in shroud we wound him;
But he lay like a warrior taking his rest,
With his martial cloak around him."
Over his soldier's grave the French Marshals placed a plain tomb, while Marshal Soult, who commanded the French, had placed upon a rock near which Sir John Moore fell a Latin inscription recording the fact. He was not allowed, however, to sleep in his soldier's grave, for the Spaniards removed his body to a more conspicuous position, and covered it with a magnificent monument eloquent of his deeds, but hardly in keeping with his simple spirit.
In the battle of Coruña, fought on January 16th, 1809, the 50th Regiment particularly distinguished itself by its use of the bayonet, as did also the 42nd, who made a daring and victorious dash into "the key of the fight," Elvina village—indeed, the battle is said to have been won by Lord William Bentinck's brigade; Sir David Baird's division, consisting of the 4th, 42nd, and 50th, which, as mentioned in general orders issued by Lieutenant-General Hope, "sustained the weight of the attack." The 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers were the last to embark.
The regiments engaged at Coruña also included the Grenadier Guards; 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 14th, 20th, 26th, 28th, 32nd, 36th, 38th, 43rd, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 59th, 71st, 76th, 79th, 81st, 82nd, 91st, 92nd, 95th, and the Rifle Brigade; 7th, 10th, 15th, 18th Light Dragoons; 1st and 2nd Light Battalions King's German Legion, and the 3rd Dragoons of the same corps. Three batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery were also present.
Martinique.—This island was taken by the British in February, 1762, and on several other occasions, but a bar was only given for the campaign in 1809, which had been concluded, despite very bad weather, by its surrender to Lieutenant-General Beckwith on February 24th, 1809. The French were under Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse. It was restored to France in 1814. For this campaign a bar was granted when the decision was made to issue the Military General Service medal, commonly but erroneously known as the Peninsular medal, since not only were bars for Guadaloupe and Java included, but also for Fort Detroit, Chateauguay, and Chrystler's Farm in America.
For the capture of Martinique the superior officers were awarded a gold medal, similar to that I shall shortly describe as having been conferred upon the officers who served in the Peninsula.
The following regiments took part in this expedition—60th, 63rd, and 90th; 1st West India Regiment and the flank companies of the 7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers; 8th, 13th Light Infantry, 15th, 23rd, and 25th Regiments.