Charles OMalley, vol 2 | Page 8

were ordered, together
with the 16th Light Dragoons, to proceed to Gallegos, to reinforce
Crawfurd's division, then forming a corps of observation upon
Massena's movements.

The position he occupied was a most commanding one,--the crown of a
long mountain ridge, studded with pine-copse and cork-trees,
presenting every facility for light-infantry movements; and here and
there gently sloping towards the plain, offering a field for cavalry
manoeuvres. Beneath, in the vast plain, were encamped the dark
legions of France, their heavy siege-artillery planted against the
doomed fortress, while clouds of their cavalry caracoled proudly before
us, as if in taunting sarcasm at our inactivity.
Every artifice which his natural cunning could suggest, every taunt a
Frenchman's vocabulary contains, had been used by Massena to induce
Sir Arthur Wellesley to come to the assistance of the beleagured
fortress: but in vain. In vain he relaxed the energy of the siege, and
affected carelessness. In vain he asserted that the English were either
afraid or else traitors to their allies. The mind of him he thus assailed
was neither accessible to menace nor to sarcasm. Patiently abiding his
time, he watched the progress of events, and provided for that future
which was to crown his country's arms with success and himself with
undying glory.
Of a far different mettle was the general formed under whose orders we
were now placed. Hot, passionate, and impetuous, relying upon bold
and headlong heroism rather than upon cool judgment and
well-matured plans, Crawfurd felt in war all the asperity and bitterness
of a personal conflict. Ill brooking the insulting tone of the wily
Frenchman, he thirsted for any occasion of a battle, and his proud spirit
chafed against the colder counsels of his superior.
On the very morning we joined, the pickets brought in the intelligence
that the French patrols were nightly in the habit of visiting the villages
at the outposts and committing every species of cruel indignity upon
the wretched inhabitants. Fired at this daring insult, our general
resolved to cut them off, and formed two ambuscades for the purpose.
Six squadrons of the 14th were despatched to Villa del Puerco, three of
the 16th to Baguetto, while some companies of the 95th, and the
caçadores, supported by artillery, were ordered to hold themselves in
reserve, for the enemy were in force at no great distance from us.

The morning was just breaking as an aide-de-camp galloped up with
the intelligence that the French had been seen near the Villa del Puerco,
a body of infantry and some cavalry having crossed the plain, and
disappeared in that direction. While our colonel was forming us, with
the intention of getting between them and their main body, the tramp of
horses was heard in the wood behind, and in a few moments two
officers rode up. The foremost, who was a short, stoutly-built man of
about forty, with a bronzed face and eye of piercing black, shouted out
as we wheeled into column:--
"Halt, there! Why, where the devil are you going? That's your ground!"
So saying, and pointing straight towards the village with his hand, he
would not listen to our colonel's explanation that several stone fences
and enclosures would interfere with cavalry movements, but added,
"Forward, I say! Proceed!"
Unfortunately, the nature of the ground separated our squadron, as the
colonel anticipated; and although we came on at a topping pace, the
French had time to form in square upon a hill to await us, and when we
charged, they stood firmly, and firing with a low and steady aim,
several of our troopers fell. As we wheeled round, we found ourselves
exactly in front of their cavalry coming out of Baguilles; so dashing
straight at them, we revenged ourselves for our first repulse by
capturing twenty-nine prisoners, and wounding several others.
The French infantry were, however, still unbroken; and Colonel Talbot
rode boldly up with five squadrons of the 14th; but the charge, pressed
home with all its gallantry, failed also, and the colonel fell mortally
wounded, and fourteen of his troopers around him. Twice we rode
round the square, seeking for a weak point, but in vain; the gallant
Frenchman who commanded, Captain Guache, stood fearlessly amidst
his brave followers, and we could hear him, as he called out from time
to time,--
"_C'est ça mes enfans! Trés bien fait, mes braves!_"
And at length they made good their retreat, while we returned to the
camp, leaving thirty-two troopers and our brave colonel dead upon the

field in this disastrous affair.
The repulse we had met with, so contrary to all our hopes and
expectations, made that a most gloomy day to all of us. The brave
fellows we had left behind us, the taunting cheer of the French infantry,
the unbroken ranks against which we