CHAPTER XII.
BUSACO AND TORRES VEDRAS.
Instead of pressing forward upon his invasion of Portugal, Massenaprepared to besiege Almeida, and for a month the British andPortuguese army remained in their position within a few hours' marchof that town. Wellington expected that Almeida would be able toresist for two months, and hoped to find some opportunity for fallingsuddenly upon the besiegers; but even a resistance of two months wouldhave made it so late in the season that Massena must have postponedhis invasion until the next spring.
Upon the morning of the 26th of August the French batteries openedfire, and from Guarda the dull, heavy roar of artillery could be heardall day. As darkness fell, the officers of the Rangers were, as usual,assembling round their fire, when the earth seemed to shake beneaththeir feet, and a flash like that of summer lightning lit the easternsky. "What can that be?" was the general exclamation. A minute later,and a deep, heavy, prolonged roar sounded in their ears--then all wasquiet.
"That is a big magazine," Captain Manley said, "and I'm afraid it'sthe town, for it sounded too heavy for a mere field magazine. If it bethe town, you'll see it won't hold out much longer; even if the actualdamage is not very great, a great explosion always damages the moraleof a defense, and in that case we shall have Massena upon us, andthere will be wigs on the green ere many days are over."
Captain Manley's conclusions were correct. The magazine of Almeida hadexploded with terrific effect. Only six houses were left standing inthe town, a considerable portion of the ramparts was thrown down, andfive hundred people killed on the spot. The stones were hurled in alldirections with such force that forty of the besiegers were hurt inthe trenches.
Colonel Cox, who commanded, endeavored to rally the panic-strickengarrison, and upon the following morning attempted to negotiate withMassena, who sent an officer to demand instant surrender.
Defense was, in fact, impossible, but Colonel Cox attempted tonegotiate, because he hoped that Wellington would at once advance tohis rescue. His intentions were frustrated, however, by the treacheryand mutiny of the principal Portuguese officers under him, and theFrench at once took possession of the ruins.
The British army fell back a short distance when the news of thedisaster arrived, and a fortnight of great anxiety and watchfulnesspassed, as it was not certain by which road or roads Massena wouldadvance.
It was not until the 18th of September that Massena fairly commencedhis march, having chosen the road from Visen through Martagoa, and thenext day the news reached the Rangers that the British army was toconcentrate on the heights of Busaco.
"So we are going to have a fight for it," Carruthers said to the boys,as the officers assembled in readiness to take their places when thetroops had fallen in. "What will be the end of it?"
"We shall lick them," an old captain said, "though they are two toone, and then they will march round us somehow, and then we shall haveto fall back in all haste on Lisbon, and embark there, and we shalleat our Christmas dinner in England."
There was a general murmur of assent, for at that time the belief wasalmost universal in the British army that they would be forced toabandon Portugal.
"I do not know," Major Fanshawe said. "I heard last night, from aman who has just returned from sick leave at Lisbon, that there arethousands of peasants employed under our engineers in getting up sometremendous works some fifteen miles this side of Lisbon. I should notbe surprised yet if Massena finds the chief a nut too hard to crack,with all his force."
"I have heard something about these works at Torres Vedras," CaptainManley said, "a mere rumor; still I believe there must be something init. Wellington has only some twenty-five thousand British troops, andas many Portuguese, while Massena has over a hundred thousand veteransat his command. Our game would be hopeless unless we have something tofall back on. No; I have every faith in our general. But there goesthe bugle."
On the 24th the Rangers, with the rest of Picton's division, arrivedon the crest of Busaco, where Cole's and Craufurd's divisions arrivedon the same day. This position was one of immense strength, being along ridge, with a very deep valley in front. Upon the opposite sideof this ravine the slope was as steep and sharp as that of Busacoitself, so that the opposite crest was within easy cannon shot.The enemy, in order to attack the British position, would have todescend into the bottom of this steep ravine, and then climb up theprecipitous ascent, to meet the British soldiers awaiting them, freshand unshaken, at the top. So strong, indeed, was the position thatthe English generals were doubtful whether Massena would venture toattack.
Upon the 25th Craufurd moved his division forward, and would haverepeated his mistake of the Coa had not Wellington himself goneforward and recalled the troops, bringing them off with difficultyin the face of the advancing masses of the French. By three in theafternoon, 40,000 French infantry were on the ridge opposite Busaco,and it appeared probable that the battle would take place thatafternoon, in which case the British position would have beenprecarious, for neither Spencer's, Hill's, nor Leith's divisions wereup.
Massena, however, was miles behind, and Ney, who commanded theadvance, could not attack without orders; thus, the moment favorablefor the French passed by. When Massena arrived next day, the Britishdivisions were all up and in their places, and the long crest ofBusaco swarmed with troops. Hill occupied the right across the road toPena Cova, then came Leith's 5th division, then came Picton with the3d division, with Spencer's division, the 1st, next to him. On aplateau in front of a convent lay Craufurd and Pack, while Cole, withthe 4th division, was on the left.
The 27th and 28th were passed in comparative tranquillity, the rivalarmies surveying each other across the chasm. From the woods far belowcame up the constant crack of the rifle, as the skirmishers on eitherside pushed each other backwards; and on the evening of the 28th thisfighting increased so much in strength and intensity, that the Britishtroops were some time under arms in expectation of a night attack, forthe enemy's riflemen had pressed far up on the hill-side towards theBritish lines. As the night went on, however, the fire ceased, and thedark ravine between the two long lines of bright watch-fires becamehushed and still.
The Rangers were with Picton's division, and were out as an advancehalf way down the ravine, two companies being down in the bottom asskirmishers. Morning was but just breaking when a heavy fire burst outin front. The regiment sprang to its feet, and prepared for action.It was not long in coming, for the fire rolled rapidly up the hilltowards them, and the skirmishing companies came running back, pressedby a heavy column of the enemy. Reynier had formed in two divisions,one of which was now pressing forward against Picton's right, whilethe object of the other was to gain the crest still farther to theright, and so place themselves between Picton and Leigh. The wholeregiment was at once engaged, but the French assault was too powerfulto be resisted, and the Rangers and the other regiments of theadvanced brigade gave way sullenly, while the French eagerly pressedup the hill, although a battery opened upon them from the crest, whilethey were unsupported by their own artillery.
"Golly, Massa Peter, dese fellows fight berry hard; look as if deylick us dis time," the black, who was in Peter's company, said to himas the regiment retreated.
"The battle has only begun yet, Sam. We have plenty of fresh troops atthe top of the hill."
"Good ting, dat, Massa Peter. Berry hard work, dis--climb hill, carrykit, fire gun, dodge de bullets, all sam time."
"You didn't dodge that bullet sharp enough, Sam," Peter said with alaugh, as the negro's shako was carried off with a ball.
"Him cum too fast. Dere, you frog-eating thief." he said angrily as hefired his musket at an advancing foe. "Dat serve you right," he wenton to himself as the Frenchman fell. "You spoil Sam's hat. Dis coloredgentleman catch cold first time him come on to rain."
The French continued their impetuous advance. Picton's right, as theyclimbed the hill, fell back towards his center, and in half an hourfrom the first shot being fired the head of the Fren
ch column had wonthe crest, and, being between Leigh and Picton's divisions, had cutthe British position. Then the column nearest to Picton's divisionbegan to wheel to its right, so as to sweep the crest.
"Lie down, the Rangers; every man down," shouted the colonel, and thebreathless men threw themselves panting on the ground. A wild Irishshout was heard behind them as they did so, and a tremendous volley ofmusketry rang over their heads, and then the 88th and a wing of the45th dashed across them, and, with fierce cheers, charged that portionof the column engaged in wheeling. Breathless and in disorder fromtheir prodigious efforts, the French were unable to resist this freshattack. In an instant the British were among them, and mixed up inwild confusion, fighting hand to hand, the mass of combatants wentmingled together down the hill. Nor was the success of the Frenchcolumn which had gained the crest of long duration, for Leith broughtup one of his brigades; Colonel Cameron, with the 9th Regiment, dashedat the enemy with the bayonet, without firing a single shot, whilethe 38th attacked their flank; and the French, unable to resist theonslaught, relinquished their position and retreated down the hill.Nor upon the French right had Ney's attack proved more successful.
Napier thus describes the combat in this quarter of the field:--"Whenthe light broke, three heavy masses detached from the sixth corps wereseen to enter the woods below, and to throw forward a profusion ofskirmishers; one of them, under General Marchand, emerging from thedark chasm and following the main road, seemed intent to turn theright of the light division; a second, under Loison, made straight upthe mountain against the front; the third remained in reserve. Simon'sbrigade, leading Loison's attack, ascended with a wonderful alacrity,and though the light troops plied it incessantly with musketry, andthe artillery bullets swept through it from the first to the lastsection, its order was never disturbed, nor its speed in the leastabated. Ross's guns were worked with incredible quickness, yet theirrange was palpably contracted every round; the enemy's shots cameringing up in a sharper key, the English skirmishers, breathlessand begrimed with powder, rushed over the edge of the ascent, theartillery drew back, and the victorious cries of the French were heardwithin a few yards of the summit. Craufurd, standing alone on one ofthe rocks, had been intently watching the progress of their attack,and now, with a shrill tone, ordered the two regiments in reserve tocharge. The next moment a horrid shout startled the French column, andeighteen hundred British bayonets went sparkling over the hill. Yet sobrave, so hardy were the leading French, that each man of the firstsection raised his musket, and two officers and ten men fell beforethem. Not a Frenchman had missed his mark. They could do no more. Thehead of their column was violently thrown back upon the rear, bothflanks were overlapped at the same time by the English wings, threeterrible discharges at five yards' distance shattered the waveringmass, and a long line of broken arms and bleeding carcases marked theline of flight."
Ney did not renew the attack, and with some desultory skirmishing thebattle ended at two o'clock, and an hour's truce enabled both partiesto carry off their wounded.
Small parties of the French came in contact with the Englishskirmishers during the afternoon, but the battle of Busaco was over.
"Don't call dat much of battle," Sam said discontentedly. "Just littlefierce fight, berry out of bref, and den, just as second wind came,all ober."
The battle of Busaco was indeed one of secondary importance. Thelosses were not great on either side, although that of the French wasfully threefold greater than that of the British, as the former wereexposed during their attack to the grape and shell of the Britishguns, while the French guns afforded no assistance to their infantry.The French loss, in killed and wounded and prisoners, did not exceed4000, of which only 800 were killed. Nor was any strategical advantagegained by the battle, for the French, upon the following day, founda road across the hills to the British left from Martagoa throughBonzalva.
Throughout the day they made feints of renewing the attack upon theEnglish position, and it was not until late in the afternoon that longcolumns of men were seen crossing the hill to the left; and Wellingtondiscovered that Busaco had been won in vain, for that his flank wasturned, and there was nothing for it but to fall back upon TorresVedras. Before night the whole British army was in retreat.
"What a horrible scene of confusion," Tom remarked, as they marchedinto the town of Coimbra next day.
"Confusion!" Captain Manley said; "it is enough to drive acommander-in-chief out of his mind. Here Wellington has for weeksbeen endeavoring to get the Portuguese Government to compel all thepopulation to retire upon Lisbon, carrying all they can, destroyingthe mills, and burning all the corn they could not carry off. TheGovernment did issue the order, but it has taken no steps whatever tocarry it out, although they knew all along that we could never repelthe invasion in the open. As it is, the greater portion of these poorwretches will lose all they possess, which they might have carriedoff quietly enough during the last two months. Many of them will losetheir lives, and they will block the roads so that we shall have theFrench down on us to a certainty."
Nothing could be more sad than the scene. The streets of Coimbra werecrowded with fugitives from the country round, and these, as well asthe inhabitants, were all preparing to push onwards towards Lisbon.Bullock carts and carriages, mules, donkeys, and horses were crowdedtogether, all laden with the aged, the children, the sick, and suchproperty as was most portable and valuable. Happily Massena hada circuitous detour to make; the road in the mountain defile wasscarcely passable, and throughout the march he displayed but littleenergy; consequently it was not until the morning of the first ofOctober that his cavalry engaged those of the light division which wascovering the retreat. The division fell back through the town, and theinhabitants, who had lingered to the last in some vague hope that theFrench would not come, now rushed out again. The bridge behind thetown was choked, and the troops had to halt for some time. In the rearthe pistol shots of the cavalry told of the approach of the French,and the din made by the panic-stricken fugitives was increased by theyells of the prisoners shut up and forgotten in the prison hard by.Their cries and supplications were too painful to be resisted, and theBritish forced the prison doors and let them free. Once across thebridge, the troops found the defile of Condeixa so choked up that itwas impossible to effect a passage, and, had the French pressed themthe division must have been destroyed.
The French infantry, however, had not arrived, and by night the roadwas cleared, and the troops passed on.
There was no pursuit, for Massena allowed his troops to halt andplunder Coimbra, and the British by easy marches, fell back toTorres Vedras; but though unpursued, the disorder and relaxation ofdiscipline which always marks a retreat, showed itself, and Wellingtonwas obliged to hang several plunderers, and to resort to other severemeasures to restore to discipline that army which, only a week before,had repulsed the best troops of France. Towards the end of the marchthe French pressed them again, and Craufurd, with his light division,had a narrow escape of being cut off.
Great was the satisfaction of the British troops when they took up theposition so carefully prepared for them; equally great the surprise ofMassena and the French army when they beheld the almost impregnableline of redoubts and fortresses of whose very existence they had onlyheard a confused rumor two or three days before. And yet formidableas was the chain of forts occupied by the British, this was weak incomparison to the second line, some five or six miles in the rear,to which Wellington would have fallen back if driven from his firstposition. This second position was indeed that which he had originallyintended to have taken up, the redoubts on the exterior range of hillsbeing intended as outposts; but, while Massena delayed his advance,the outside line of fortifications had so grown and increased instrength, that Wellington resolved to hold them in the first place.
There were, therefore, as will be seen by the plan, three lines ofdefense. The first from Alhandra on the Tagus to Zizandre on thesea-coast. This, following the windings of the hills, was twenty
-ninemiles long; the second and main line was from Quintella on the Tagusto the mouth of the San Lorenza, twenty-four miles in length; thethird, intended to cover an embarkation, in case of necessity,extended from Passo d'Arcos on the Tagus to the town of Junquera onthe coast.
Massena spent some days in surveying the British position, and came tothe conclusion that it was too strong to be attacked. Had the orderof Wellington been carried out, and the whole country wasted ofprovisions, the French army must have made a precipitate retreat toavoid starvation, for they had no provisions or connection with Spain.Wilson and Trant, with Portuguese levies, hung upon their rear, andcaptured Coimbra, where Massena had left his sick and wounded, 5000 innumber, upon the very day after the main French army advanced from thetown. So vast were the supplies, however, left in the country thatMassena was able to take up his position, first immediately in frontof the British lines, and afterwards at Santarem, within a day's marchof them, and to maintain his army in food throughout the winter untilthe beginning of March.
"Have you seen the _Gazette_, Scudamore?" Carruthers asked, rushinginto the tent one morning about a week after the regiment had settleddown in its tents on the heights of Torres Vedras.
"No; what's up?" Tom replied.
"There you are; you have both got your steps. Thomas Scudamore,ensign, Norfolk Rangers, to be lieutenant, for distinguished servicesin the field. Peter Scudamore, ditto, ditto. I wondered the chief haddone nothing for you after your journey through Spain."
"I am sure I did not expect anything," Tom answered, "and was quitecontent when the colonel told us that Lord Wellington had said he waspleased with the manner we had done our work. However, I am very glad;but it is not pleasant going over five or six fellows' heads."
"Fortune of war," Carruthers said laughing. "Besides, two of them areat the depot, Sankey is away on sick leave, and none of the three whoare senior to you here will ever set the Thames on fire. No, no, youhave fairly earned your step and no one can say a word against it."
The news soon spread, and the boys were heartily congratulated by allthe officers of the regiment on their promotion, which placed themnext on the list to Carruthers, who had previously been the juniorlieutenant. Promotion in those days was rapid, and after a severeengagement an ensign only joined upon the previous week might findhimself a lieutenant, from the number of death vacancies caused inthe ranks above him. The Norfolk Rangers had not suffered heavily atTalavera, or the boys might have had their lieutenant's rank beforethis, without performing any exceptional services.
"I wish we could get two months' leave, Tom," Peter said that night."Of course it is impossible, but it would be jolly to drop in uponRhoda. By her letter she seems well and happy, and aunt is very kindto her. It would be nice; and now we are lieutenants, aunt wouldn'ttell us to rub our shoes."
"No," Tom laughed, "or be afraid of our pelting her pigeons andMinnie."
"No," Peter said. "Evidently she is coming round. Rhoda said thatsince she has heard that we have got our commissions she has givenup prophesying once or twice a day that we shall come to a badend--probably hanging."
"Yes, and Rhoda said in her letter yesterday that aunt was quitetouched with those lace mantillas we got at Madrid, and sent off theday after we rejoined, and actually remarked that, although we couldno longer be looked upon as boys, and seemed really as hair-brainedand fond of getting into scrapes as ever, yet it was evident that wewere good, kindly lads, and meant well at heart."
"I wish," Tom said, with a sudden burst of laughter, "that we coulddress in our old disguises, I as a student of theology you as a mildyoung novice; what a lark we would have with her!" and the boys wentoff into such shouts of laughter, that their aunt would have thoughtthem more scatter-brained than ever if she had heard them, while fromthe tent of Captain Manley on one side, and of Carruthers and anotheryoung officer on the other, came indignant expostulations, andentreaties that they would keep quiet, and let other people go tosleep.