Jan 30 1812: Private Wheeler Letter

On January 30, 1812, Private Wheeler, serving in the British army in the Peninsular War, writes to his family. Excerpts from the letter follow: 

On the 2nd inst. the 7th. Division marched to the mountains of Sierra de Gatta, in the neighbourhood of Ciudad Rodrigo. We were quartered in the village of Pio, this place contains a few miserable dwellings. We were stationed here to prevent the enemy from rendering assistance to the garrison while the siege was going on. Our duty was very severe, it consisting in furnishing piquets in the passes of the mountains, the nearest to Pio being about two leagues.

The country all around was covered with snow. To shelter ourselves from the keen frosty air that continued during our sty in this part, we dug a large hole in the snow; in the centre, we kept a good fire, around which sat the men on duty; our fuel consisted of furze and fern. Of this we had abundance from places where the snow had drifted, but in collecting it we wanted snow pattern, for often we would sink over our heads, into some hole or burrow, when we expected we had firm footing...

... We could hear the roaring of the guns at Rodrigo, and we heartily wished the place reduced; the nigh of the 19th the assault was made and the place carried by storm. This was welcome news to us. A few days after we returned to Penamacor. Here we found our new clothing and a supply of necessaries had arrived; these being issued were were made comparatively comfortable.

To fill up the remainder of this letter for want of something better I shall give you an account of the manner I have slept this winter. In one corner of the room I have, collected a quantity of dry fern, this forms my bed, it being necessary to strip to keep free from vermin. Every night the contents of my haversack is transferred to my knapsack. This forms my pillow, at the same time secures my kit and provisions from midnight marauders. 

The haversack is then converted into a nightcap. Being stripped, my legs are thrust into the sleeves of an old watch coat, carefully tied at the cuffs to keep out the cold. The other part of the coat wrapped around my body served for under blanket and sheet. Next my trousers are drawn on my legs over the sleeves of the coat, my red jacket has the distinguished place of covering my seat of honour and lastly my blanket covers all. In this manner I have slept as comfortable as a prince. No idle dreams disturb my rest.

I am in possession of that inestimable treasure, health and a lively flow of spirits. Nothing gives me trouble. I am as well off as my comrades and I am convinced we all are provided for a well the nature of the service will allow.

Since our return to Penamacor we have been employed in assisting the battering train from Saba Gal to Castala Branco. I understand the train is on the road to Elvas. If so Badajoz is the next place to be reduced. We expect to march soon. Probably my next will be from that place. It is time we moved from this place for we have nearly glutted the houses, of all wood we could rip for fuel. I am getting tired of this dreary abode. The sooner the campaign opens the better. It is true we shall have to encounter great dangers and fatigues. What of that, it is the very life and soul of a soldier to keep moving. If we do suffer privations, at times, we have some sunshiny days, and dame fortune often leads us out of difficulty and puts us into possession of all the luxuries of life. 

 Source: Private Wheeler, Private Wheeler: The Letters  of a Soldier of the 51st Light Infantry during the Peninsular War & at Waterloo (Leonaur, 2009), 62-64

Jan 19 1812 Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo ends

Ciudad Rodrigo is a fortified city in the province of Salamanca in western Spain. It is located on the right bank of the River Águeda.  It is surrounded by two hills known as the Lesser and GreaterTesons.

Rodrigo, along with Badajoz, guarded the invasion routes from Portugal into Spain. The cities had to be taken if Wellington and his British and Portuguese army were   to campaign deep into Spain. Rodrigo was garrisoned by 2,000 well armed French troops.

The siege of Ciudad Rodrigo began on the night of 8 January 1812.  About 450 men from the Light Division seized the French redoubt on the Grand Teson. The next day the attacking forces began to building siege works on the Grand Teson.

By the 13th of January, the first parallel trench had been finish. Siege guns were placed to fire on the walls of the city. A second parallel was started on the Little Teson. It was too close to the Convent of Santa Cruz with its French outpost. Wellesley ordered a King's German Legion brigade to attack and take the French outpost. In response, the French commander of Ciudad Rodrigo ordered an attack. Five hundred French troops came out of the city, engaged the attacking forces and  recaptured the Convent of San Francisco. The British rallied, drove the French back into the city and, as night came, recaptured the convent.

By 18th of January, the British and Portuguese had created two breaches in the walls of the city. Four batteries were firing twenty-two 24-pound guns and one 18-pound gun against the main breach and seven 24-pound guns against the lesser breach.

By the 19th of January, over 9,550 shells had been fired against city. The two breaches were about 200 meters apart. The main breach was 30 metres wide. The smaller breach was about 10 metres. Wellington judged the time right and gave the order for the final attack.

Robert Burnham, in "The Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo Spain" describes the assault :

At 7 p.m. the attack began with the Cacadores rushing across the bridge and capturing the outpost. The two other regiments quickly accomplished their mission and the way was clear for the main attack. The main assault consisted of Major General McKinnon's brigade which was preceded by 150 men carrying bags of hay that were to be thrown into the ditch. There they were met by heavy defensive fire that stunned the assaulting force. About this time, the 5th and 95th Regiments had just finished their mission of clearing the faussebraie and in their enthusiasm continued onto the main breach. They actually reached it before the main assault force! McKinnon's Brigade followed closely behind them and all were stopped by the cuts made at the top of the breach. There they were came under a devastating fire from the two guns that swept the breach with canister at close range. As the British reeled in confusion, the French fired a mine buried in the breach! This massive explosion stunned the attackers for a moment and caused heavy casualties among their leaders. The British soon rallied and through heroic efforts, succeeded in silencing the two guns and capturing the breach. The way was open into the town!

The Light Division staged itself behind the Convent of San Francisco prior to its assault on the lesser breach. Despite the large number of senior officers directing it, this attack was mismanaged from the very beginning. The force carrying the bags of hay got lost and the forlorn hope attacked the faussebraie thinking it was the main wall. Once the breach was located, the main assault force quickly made its way up it with little resistance. The French defenders retreated to the town square and soon surrendered.

Ciudad Rodrigo was now in the British hands and nothing could stop the victorious troops. The next 12 hours was a wild orgy of looting, raping, drinking, and pillaging. Vast fortunes were made overnight by the plundering soldiers (who quickly spent it on liquor) and no one was safe, including their own officers. By the next morning the soldiers were brought under control and the task of repairing the damage was begun.

The British had about 1100 killed and wounded during the siege. In the assault itself, casualties among the British forces was not particularly heavy among the enlisted soldiers with about 100 killed and another 400 wounded. Officer casualties were high though, with 59 of them being killed or wounded. Casualties among the senior officers were especially high. General Craufurd, commander of the Light Division, was mortally wounded, while General McKinnon, commander of the assault force, was killed in the explosion that rocked the main breach. General Vandeleur, commander of the brigade making the assault on the lesser breach also was wounded seriously. Of the 1900 men in the French garrison, about 600 were casualties during the siege.

The capture of Ciudad Rodrigo upset French plans and strategic position. It  helped opened up the northern invasion corridor from Portugal into Spain. Wellington was to move onto Badajoz.

The experience of the inhabitants of Ciudad Rodrigo was to be more immediate and horrible. Allied troops lost all discipline, possibly as a result of the high number of officers killed, and began to burn, rampage, plunder and rape. 

January 5 1812 Siege of Tarifa

The Siege of Tarifa ended on January 5, 1812. 

The French forces were unsuccessful in their attempt to capture this small coastal town in Andalusia, Spain. The town had been occupied by a small British garrison since 1811. There about 4,000 British and Spanish soldiers in the town.

In November, 1811, the British garrison had attacked the French lines around Cadiz which was also under siege by the French. Marshal Soult, the French commander, then decided to attack Tarifa. He dispatched Marshal Victor with about 15,000 men taken from the troops around Cadiz.

The siege began on 20 December 1811. The French made quick progress and breached the walls of the town on the first day. The French continued to attack through to December 30 1811. They were able to establish a sixty feet wide breach in the defensive wall. At this point the weather intervened. Severe rainstorms and flash floods caused havoc for both sides but more so for the French forces. French trenches and camps were overrun by the flash floods. The French plan to attack on dawn on December 31, 1811 had to be delayed allowing the British and Spanish defenders to carry out some crucial preparations. 

The French attack began at 9 a.m. but rain again slowed the advance until the French were forced to retreat suffering between 210 to 400 casualties. In contrast, the British lost 36 men and the Spanish 20 men.

The weather continued to play a major part in the siege. Rain meant that the besieging forces was cut off from the main French armies in Cadiz. Later, the French forces in Tarifa were cut off from each other. Supplies began to run short. 

Marshall Victor tried on 1 January to reopen the attack but a heavy rainstorm hit the area on the night of 3 and 4 January. Victor had to admit that the French cause was hopeless. On the night of 4-5 January, 1812, after spiking nine of their twelve heavy guns, the French abandoned the siege.

The above is based on the information found here and in the interesting Journal of Colonel Skerrett, the British commander at Tarifa, which can be found here here .