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    TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
    IN
    THE RIFLE BRIGADE.

    BY THE LATE
    WILLIAM SURTEES,
    QUARTERMASTER.

    WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH; AND
    T. CADELL, STRAND, LONDON.

    MDCCCXXXIII.


    EDINBURGH:
    PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE.




    TO
    MAJOR-GEN. SIR ANDREW F. BARNARD,
    K.C.B. and K.C.H.
    AND THE OFFICERS OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE,
    THESE REMAINS OF MY DECEASED BROTHER
    ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,
    BY THEIR OBLIGED AND MOST
    OBEDIENT SERVANT,
    JOHN SURTEES.




PREFATORY NOTICE.


The Author of the following Narrative entered the Army in early life. He
commenced his military career in 1795, as a private soldier in the
Northumberland Militia; and in the following year he volunteered into
the Pompadours. In this regiment he first faced the enemy, during the
expedition to Holland under the Duke of York. On getting his discharge
from the Pompadours, in 1802, he again entered the service as a private
in the Rifle Brigade, to which he was attached for a period of
twenty-five years. From his steady conduct, and ardent love for his
profession, he was soon advanced from the ranks, and, after various
intermediate steps, was appointed Quartermaster; a situation which he
held as long as he continued in the corps, enjoying the respect and
esteem of his brother officers of all ranks, as is amply testified by
the letters which form the Appendix to this volume.

Though, as Quartermaster, the Author was not called by duty to join in
battle, yet he lost no opportunity of entering the scene of action, or
of placing himself in a favourable situation for observing what was
passing. It is unnecessary to enumerate the arduous services of the
Rifle Brigade from 1802 to 1815. During the whole of that period the
Author was actively engaged with his corps.

The Narrative is faithfully--indeed literally--printed from the Author's
MS. as he left it at his death. The critical reader may therefore detect
various inaccuracies which, had life been spared to the Author, would
probably have been corrected; but he will find much to approve, and,
hackneyed as Narratives of the Peninsular War have become, he will also
find much that is new. There is no embellishment in the style of the
Author's composition, but there is a quiet Defoe-like sincerity and
simplicity characteristic of his pages, and a strain of unaffected
piety, that is very pleasing; and the scenes and descriptions which he
gives, though sometimes singularly chosen, and reported quite with a
manner of his own, are on the whole portrayed with strong graphic
effect. One word, however, before closing,--our Author is never vulgar.

A severe pulmonary affection compelled him to quit his corps in 1826. He
retired to Corbridge, his native village, where he arrived on the 24th
of October in that year, and continued there, respected and beloved, and
constantly engaged in acts of benevolence, till the period of his death,
28th May, 1830.

    _November 23, 1832._




CONTENTS.


    CHAPTER I.
                                                                  PAGE.

    Birth and Parentage--Enters the Militia--Volunteers into the
    Line--Joins the army destined for Holland--The troops embark at
    Deal--Land at the Helder--Laxity of discipline--March for
    Schagen--Detachment under Sir Ralph Abercromby sent to surprise
    Hoorne--Hoorne surrenders,                                        1

    CHAPTER II.

    The Russian Allies carry Bergen--Allow themselves to be
    surprised, and the whole army forced to retire to their former
    position--Skirmishing in the vicinity of Old Patten--The
    Russians endeavour to force their way back to Bergen--The
    Russian and British forces joined--The enemy forced to abandon
    Egmont-op-Zee--Alkmaar surrenders--The troops advance to Egmont
    Binnen--Skirmishing--General engagement--The Enemy
    repulsed--The Forces retire to Zaand Wyck--Armistice
    concluded--Return to England,                                    13

    CHAPTER III.

    Arrive in England--The Pompadours embark for Ireland--Arrive at
    Kinsale--Privations in Ireland in 1800--Peace concluded--Our
    Author resolves to return home, but ultimately volunteers into
    the Rifle Corps or 95th--Embarks for England, and joins his
    Regiment at Sussex--Is promoted,                                 35

    CHAPTER IV.

    Made Pay-sergeant--Moral Reflections--Wreck of a Dutch East
    Indiaman--Reduced Officers--War with France in 1803--Encampment
    at Thorncliffe under the command of General Sir John
    Moore--Encampment broke up, November 1804--Embark for Germany,
    October 1805--Vicissitudes at Sea--Land at Cuxhaven--March to
    Bremen--Outposts established--Retrograde movements, in
    consequence of the defeat of the Allied Forces at
    Austerlitz--The Allied Forces evacuate Germany--Re-embarkation
    of the troops--The Rifle Corps, or 95th, land at Yarmouth,       45

    CHAPTER IV.*

    Our Author made Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 2d battalion,
    which he joins at Feversham, Kent--Expedition to
    Denmark--Embark at Deal--Land at Vedbeck, Zealand--Partial
    Engagements--Siege of Copenhagen--A division under Sir Arthur
    Wellesley advance to Kioge--Copenhagen capitulates--Amnesty
    between the Danish forces in the Island of Zealand, and the
    British--The British evacuate Denmark--Embark at
    Copenhagen--Arrive in the Downs--Land at Deal,                   59

    CHAPTER V.

    Our Author marries--The Battalion to which he belongs ordered
    to join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna--Movements of
    the Army in Spain--Return to England,                            73

    CHAPTER VI.

    Volunteering--Farther Promotion--Embarks for Portugal, with two
    Companies of the Second Battalion--Debark at Cadiz--Advance to
    the Isla--The French occupy all the adjacent Towns, except
    Cadiz and Isla--Cannonading--Spanish Army--Detachment of the
    Allied Army sent round by Gibraltar and Chiclana, to take the
    Enemy in the rear of his works, and compel him either to fight
    or abandon them--Come up with a portion of the Enemy in the
    vicinity of Veger--Bravery of the British--The Enemy repulsed
    with great loss, but, from the apathy and misconduct of General
    La Pena, and the Spaniards under his command, the French are
    allowed to retain their Works in the vicinity of Cadiz,          99

    CHAPTER VII.

    The 2d Battalion of the Pompadours ordered to proceed to
    Portugal--Our Author visits England--Returns to Portugal, and
    joins his Regiment at Rodrigo--The Army move towards
    Badajos--Siege of Badajos--Badajos surrenders--Insubordination
    among the Troops--Quelled by the prompt measures of Lord
    Wellington,                                                     128

    CHAPTER VIII.

    The Army leave Badajos on the 11th of April, and move into
    quarters near the river Agueda, where they remain, till the
    11th of June--Advance towards Salamanca, which, with the
    exception of three Forts, the enemy had evacuated--The Forts
    invested--The main bodies of both armies bivouack within a mile
    and a half of each other, in the vicinity of Monte Rubio and
    Morisco--The Forts of Salamanca surrender--The main body of the
    Enemy retire to Tordesillas--Movements of the Army,             153

    CHAPTER IX.

    Preparations for the Field--Amusements in winter
    quarters--Grand Review--Advance of the Army in pursuit of the
    Enemy--Come up with their rearguard in the vicinity of Hornilla
    de Camino--Skirmishing--Encounter with the 1st Brigade of the
    Enemy, who are beaten, and forced to retreat--Our Army advance
    in pursuit--An affair between the rearguard of the Enemy and
    our 4th Brigade--Vittoria--General Engagement--The Enemy
    defeated--Remarks,                                              185

    CHAPTER X.

    Advance in pursuit of the Enemy--Our Forces retreat, in order
    to counteract Soult's movements for the succour of
    Pamplona--Total defeat of Soult in the several Actions near
    Pamplona--Our Forces again advance--Come up with the retreating
    Enemy at the Bridge of Yanzi--The Enemy take up a position,
    behind Vera--A considerable body of the Enemy attached at the
    Pass of Echallar, and forced to retreat,                        214

    CHAPTER XI.

    The Author, from a mistake, loses his Servants for a few
    days--A Feast of Death--A Feast of Life--Fighting near St
    Sebastian--Singular instance of Spanish Bravery--St Sebastian
    is captured, but no Details given, the Author not having been
    present--Attack of the Pass of Vera,                            232

    CHAPTER XII.

    The British Army advance farther into France--Pass the
    Nive--Soult's Plans baffled--Two or three battalions of the
    Nassau and Frankfort regiments come over from the
    French--French Politesse--Threatened Attack by the
    French--Battle of the Nive--Account of the Basques,             253

    CHAPTER XIII.

    The Author's Battalion quartered in Aurantz on 3d January
    1814--The cantonments at Aurantz broke up on the 16th February,
    and the Campaign of 1814 commenced--Farther Advance into
    France--Skirmishing with the Enemy--Military Manoeuvres--Battle
    of Orthes--Defeat and Pursuit of the Enemy--Succession of
    Attacks on them--They are driven from their Position in and
    near Tarbes--Skirmishing at Tournefoile--The Enemy retire
    towards Toulouse,                                               269

    CHAPTER XIV.

    The British Army cross the Garonne--Advance on
    Toulouse--Prepare for the Attack--The Attack--Spaniards driven
    back--Battle very hot--French completely defeated--Soult
    evacuates Toulouse, and tardily adheres to the Bourbons,        295

    CHAPTER XV.

    Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814--Character of the
    veritable French--British distributed over the
    Country--Civility of the Inhabitants of Grissolles--Amusements
    in quarters--The British prepare to quit France,                308

    CHAPTER XVI.

    Author's Battalion embark for England--Land at Plymouth--Expect
    to be again ordered on Foreign Service--Order received--Embark,
    with other Troops, for America--Land at Pine Island,            322

    CHAPTER XVII.

    Proceed to attack the Enemy, and capture one of their
    picquets--Advance in search of a Bivouack--Alarmed by shots in
    front--Fired on by an American schooner--Captain Hallen
    severely attacked--Manoeuvres on both sides--Ruse of the
    Enemy--Fighting continues--Enemy repulsed at all
    points--Courage of the British--Battery brought into
    play--Activity of the Enemy,                                    339

    CHAPTER XVIII.

    British Army told off into Brigades--Advance, and are hotly
    received--Heroism of a young Artillery Officer--We take up a
    fresh position--The Enemy work incessantly in raising an
    extensive breastwork--Two Batteries erected, from which our
    heavy Ship Artillery are brought to bear against it, but
    without effect--The Enemy also place their Ship Guns on
    Batteries--Colonel Lambert arrives with the 7th and 43d
    regiments--Preparations for a grand attack on the Enemy's
    lines, which entirely fails, and the British are repulsed with
    great loss,                                                     357

    CHAPTER XIX.

    Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton--Negotiation for leave
    to transport the Wounded across the River--Insult offered to
    the British--They retreat--Our Army embark, and determine to
    make an Attack upon Mobile--Proceed in the direction of Mobile
    Bay--A Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer--The Fort
    surrenders, the garrison becoming Prisoners of
    War--Intelligence of a Treaty of Peace being concluded at
    Ghent--Cessation of Hostilities,                                378

    CHAPTER XX.

    Ratification of the Treaty of Peace--Exchange of Prisoners--Our
    Troops Embark for England--When off the coast of Ireland,
    receive Intelligence of Bonaparte's escape from Elba--The
    Author and his Battalion reach the Downs, and proceed to
    Thorncliffe--Embark for France--Arrive at Paris, and occupy the
    Champs Elysees--Review of the Russian Guards--Russian
    Discipline--British Troops reviewed--Accident to Prince
    Blucher--Amusements in Paris--The Allied Forces, except the
    Army of Occupation, leave Paris--The Author's Battalion embark
    for England--Reach Dover, and return to Thorncliffe--He obtains
    leave of absence, and visits his Family--His Battalion ordered
    to Ireland--Sets out to join it, accompanied by his Wife, who
    dies three days after they reach Dublin--His Battalion
    reduced--Joins the first Battalion at Gosport, which is ordered
    to Scotland--Arrive at Leith, and march to Glasgow--The Author
    returns home in ill health--His Father dies--Joins his
    Battalion again--Winters at home--His Battalion ordered to
    Ireland--Joins it at Belfast--They occupy different stations
    during the Whiteboy Insurrection--Six companies of his
    Battalion ordered to Nova Scotia, but the Author remains with
    the other four companies--He is shortly ordered to proceed to