The Victories of the British Armies: With Anecdotes Illustrative of Modern WarfareHenry G. Bohn, 1847 - 528 pages Looks at the actions of the British armies during the Peninsular War. |
Other editions - View all
The Victories of the British Armies; With Anecdotes Illustrative of Modern ... William Hamilton Maxwell No preview available - 2016 |
The Victories of the British Armies: With Anecdotes Illustrative of Modern ... William Hamilton Maxwell No preview available - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
abandoned Adour allies Almeida arms army artillery assailants assault attack attempt Badajoz Barosa battalions batteries battle bayonet bivouacs brave bridge brigade British British army broken Busaco cannon cannonade carried cavalry centre charge Ciudad Rodrigo Colonel columns command commenced corps crossed defeat defence despatched desperate dragoons driven Duke of Dalmatia effect enemy enemy's English fell field fire flank force formed forward French marshal front gallant gallantry garrison ground Guards guns heavy heights hill horse Hougomont hundred hussars infantry instantly intrenchments killed light division Lord Wellington loss Marmont Massena military morning moved movement musketry Napoleon nearly night occupied officers opened Pamplona passed pickets Picton Portuguese position prisoners Prussian reached rear regiments repulsed retired retreat river road Salamanca shot siege Sikh Sir John Sir John Moore soldiers Soult Spaniards Spanish storm success Tagus thousand tirailleurs town troops victory village whole wounded
Popular passages
Page 46 - I believe he was wounded early ; but he concealed his situation from those about him, and continued in the field giving his orders with that coolness and perspicuity which had ever marked his character, till long after the ' action was over, when he fainted through weakness and loss of blood. Were it permitted for a soldier to regret any one who has fallen in the service of his country, I might be excused for lamenting him more than any other person ; but it is some consolation to those who tenderly...
Page 346 - Somerset, the only staff-officer who had kept up with him, galloped with these orders out of Sauroren by one road, the French light cavalry dashed in by another, and the English general rode alone up the mountain to reach his troops. One of Campbell's Portuguese battalions first descried him and raised a cry of joy, and the shrill clamour caught up by the next regiments swelled as it ran along the line into that stern and appalling shout which the British soldier is wont to give upon the edge of...
Page 480 - Dragoons, with the 2nd brigade of cavalry, consisting of the body guard and 5th Light Cavalry, with a portion of the 4th Lancers, turned the left of the Sikh army, and, sweeping along the whole rear of its infantry and guns, silenced for a time the latter, and put their numerous cavalry to flight.
Page 484 - But, with daylight of the 22nd, came retribution. Our infantry formed line, supported on both flanks by horse artillery, whilst a fire was opened from our centre by such of our heavy guns as remained effective, aided by a flight of rockets. A masked battery played with great effect upon this point, dismounting our pieces, and blowing up our tumbrils. At this moment...
Page 159 - The next instant, the head of a noble column darkened the long narrow bridge, a drummer and an officer in a splendid uniform, leaped forward together, and the whole rushed on with loud cries. The depth of the ravine at first deceived the English soldiers...
Page 468 - The bed of the river was nearly straight, and about 1,200 yards in length. Behind this and in both woods were the enemy posted. In front of their extreme right, and on the edge of the wood, was a village. Having made the best examination of their position, which so short a time permitted, the artillery was posted on the right of the line, and some skirmishers of infantry, with the...
Page 483 - They threw themselves upon the guns, and with matchless gallantry wrested them from the enemy ; but when the batteries were partially within our grasp, our soldiery had to face such a fire of musketry from the Sikh infantry, arrayed behind their guns, that, in spite of the most heroic efforts, a portion only of the entrenchment could be carried. Night fell while the conflict was everywhere raging.
Page 470 - Poole, •who commanded the brigade, and Captain George, who commanded the corps, attacked the nullah on the left with great gallantry, and, I regret to add, with considerable loss. This brave battalion marched up to the nullah under a heavy fire of matchlocks, without returning a shot till within forty paces of the intrenchment, and then stormed it like British soldiers. The intrepid Lieutenant Coote first mounted the rampart, seized one of the enemy's standards, and was severely wounded while waving...
Page 319 - Unfortunately the in-experience of the officers of the army has induced many to consider that the period during which an army is on service is one of relaxation from all rule, instead of being, as it is, the period during which of all others every rule for the regulation and control of the conduct of the soldier, for the inspection and care of his arms, ammunition, accoutrements, necessaries, and field equipments, and his horse and horse appointments ; for the receipt and issue and care of his provisions...
Page 338 - Jourdan's staff was among the trophies of the field; it was rather more than a foot long, and covered with blue velvet, on which the imperial eagles were embroidered ; and it had been tipped with gold; but the first finder secured the gold for himself. The case was of red morocco, with silver clasps, and with eagles on it, and at either end the marshal's name imprinted in gold letters*.