Drawn by Lieut. G. Goodall, R.E. E. Weller, lith., London.
London: Chatto & Windus.
ACTION
ON THE
COA
24TH JULY 1810.
It was but for a moment: for the 43rd, recovering from their surprise, fired a volley which emptied many saddles. The action now became general along the whole line. The French advance was for a time checked in the broken ground; but Ney’s overwhelming force bore back the English towards the rocky defile which led to the one narrow bridge over the Coa. The ground was disputed inch by inch by the Battalion, the 43rd and the 52nd, while the cavalry, the guns, the baggage, and the two Portuguese regiments attached to Craufurd’s Division, descended the steep defile and crossed the bridge, about a mile to the rear.
Thus the unequal contest had long and arduously to be maintained. As they fell back to the hill which overlooked the Coa, it was perceived that some of the cavalry and artillery had not yet got across the bridge. Craufurd unhappily ordered a number of Riflemen, who occupied a position which prevented the enemy from cutting off the passage to the bridge, to evacuate it, before the 52nd, who were far on the right of the position, had made good their retreat. Beckwith at once saw the mistake, and ordered the Riflemen to retake the hill and the wall. This they did in fine style; but not without many officers and men falling. And about this time some skirmishers of the Battalion and a wing of the 43rd, led on by Major McCleod of that regiment, the senior officer on the spot, not only held their ground, but, mixed together and gallantly headed, rushed against the French advanced troops, and checked them until the bridge was clear and the 52nd over; then, rushing down at speed, they got across the bridge. As soon as the regiment got over they formed along the bank of the river, among rocks, walls, and any ground that could afford cover. The Coa, swollen by the rain of the preceding night, and by that which had been incessantly pouring since noon, was not fordable, so that the only point to be defended was the narrow bridge. Twice it was attempted by a valiant assault of French grenadiers; twice they were sent reeling back under our fire, almost all killed or wounded; the few who got across falling on the other side. Still a constant fire was kept up till about five o’clock; when the French ceased, apparently giving up all hope of forcing the bridge; and our men ceasing fire from exhaustion after about twelve hours’ hard fighting.
The loss of the Battalion in this engagement was very severe. Lieutenant Donald M’Leod and 11 rank and file were killed; Captains Creagh, Samuel Mitchell, Lieutenants Matthew Pratt, Peter Reilly, Alexander Coane, Thomas Smith, and Second Lieutenant George Simmons were severely, and Lieutenant Harry Smith slightly, wounded; and 1 sergeant and 54 rank and file were wounded; and Lieutenant M’Cullock wounded and prisoner, 1 sergeant and 52 rank and file missing.
Of these, Captain Creagh died the night of the fight; Reilly died the following day at Celorico; Pratt,[79] shot in the neck, died from the bursting of the carotid artery on August 1, on the Mondego river, near Fordaso; and many of the wounded men also died on their way to Lisbon.
In O’Hare’s company alone, which, as we have seen, bore the brunt of the hussar charge, Lieutenant Alexander Coane was dangerously wounded, 11 men were killed and wounded, and 45 prisoners. Indeed, it is said that O’Hare’s company only mustered 11 men on parade next morning.