Read Wellington’s Engineers: Military Engineering on the Peninsular War 1808-1814 Online

Authors: Mark S. Thomson

Tags: #Non-Fiction, #History, #Military, #Napoleonic Wars, #Spain, #Portugal, #Engineering

Wellington’s Engineers: Military Engineering on the Peninsular War 1808-1814 (41 page)

3
. Rousseau,
Journal of D’Urban
, p. 254.

4
. A detailed description of the construction of the repair is available in Douglas,
Essay on Military Bridges
, 3rd edition, pp. 353–9.

5
. WD, Wellington to Liverpool, 28 May 1812.

6
. Estimated at four for each howitzer and limber; two for each cart and eight for the ladders carriages. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 3, pp. 245–6.

7
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 1, p. 247. Burgoyne used almost identical words in his journal, Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 313.

8
. Porter,
History of the Royal Engineers
, Vol. 1, p. 313.

9
. WD, Wellington to Liverpool, 30 June 1812.

10
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, Vol. 1, p. 194.

11
. NA, WO55/959, Burgoyne’s journal of the siege of Fort San Vicente at Salamanca.

12
. REM 4601-72, Burgoyne Letters, f. 1812/17, Burgoyne’s criticism of the 24-pounder carronades in his report on Burgos is similar to Jones’, ‘they could not be fired with any accuracy or force’.

13
. REM 4601-72, Burgoyne Letters, 1812/17, f.1.

14
. Oman,
Peninsular War
, Vol. 6, p. 27.

15
. J. T. Jones,
Autobiography
, p. 68.

16
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, Vol.1, p. 213.

17
. Oman,
Peninsular War
, Vol. 6, p. 27, confusingly says the battery was armed on the night of 23 September 1812. Jones’
Journal of Sieges
and Dickson,
Manuscripts
, say the night of the 22nd/23rd. From reading on in Oman’s account from this point the escalade of the same night (22nd) can be believed to also have happened on the 23rd.

18
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 1, p. 283.

19
. Porter,
History of the Royal Engineers
, Vol. 1, p. 322.

20
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 4, p. 746.

21
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 1, p. 297.

22
. Ibid, p. 296.

23
. J. T. Jones,
Autobiography
, pp. 73–5.

24
. BL Add MS41963, Pasley papers, Burgoyne to Pasley, 30 March 1813.

25
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 1, p. 333.

26
. Fortescue,
British Army
, Vol. 8, p. 584.

27
. Ibid, p. 226.

28
. Ibid, p. 584

29
. WD, Wellington to Bathurst, 26 October 1812.

30
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 1, p. 292.

31
. Ibid, p. 335.

32
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
.

33
. REM 4601-72, Burgoyne Letters, 1812/17, f.13.

34
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 236.

35
. REM 4601-72, Burgoyne Letters, 1812/17, f.13.

36
. Porter,
History of the Royal Engineers
, Vol. 1, p. 330.

37
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 242.

38
.
RE Journal
, January 1890, p. 3.

39
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 246.

40
. NA WO55/981, Rhodes to Fletcher, 25 November 1812.

41
. NA WO55/981, Piper to Fletcher, 25 October 1812.

42
. WD, Wellington to Hill, 5 October 1812.

43
. NA WO55/981, Hulme to Fletcher, 1 October 1812 and Hulme to Fletcher, 3 December 1812.

44
. WD, 2nd Edition, Wellington to Fletcher, Badajoz, 20 December 1812. The names of the officers come from the Wellington Papers, WP1/355.

45
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 851.

46
. WO55/981, Fletcher to Goldfinch, 5 December 1812.

Chapter 8

1
. WD, Wellington to Piper, Badajoz, 20 December 1812.

2
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 830.

3
. Ibid, pp. 830–5.

4
. WD, Wellington to Dickson, 29 February 1813, Wellington to Beresford 18 April 1813 and 24 April 1813.

5
. Made up of six 18-pounders, two spare carriages, six platform wagons, two forges, eighteen ammunition wagons, three store wagons and twenty bullock carts. The brigade was manned by two RA companies, Morrison’s and Glubb’s. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, pp. 872–3.

6
. WD, Wellington to Conde de la Bispal, 1 May 1813.

7
.
RE Journal
, January 1890, p. 7.

8
. WD, Wellington to Fisher, Freneda, 4 May 1813.

9
. Lipscombe,
Wellington’s Guns
, p. 275. Taken from Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 882.

10
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 882.

11
. WD, Wellington to Fletcher, 14 May 1813.

12
. WD, Wellington to Graham, 18 May 1813. Thomas Livingstone Mitchell was attached to the QMG’s department and employed on surveying and reconnaissance. After the war he was employed for four years sketching the scenes of the many actions for the British government. These maps and drawings were eventually published as
Wyld’s Atlas
, the best atlas of the Peninsular War.

13
. REM 2001-149-22, Letter from Wright dated 29 May 1813.

14
. WD, Wellington to Bathurst, Villadiego, 13 June 1812. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 908.

15
. WSD, Hill to Wellington, Vol. 8, p. 33.

16
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 2, p. 6.

17
. WD, Wellington to Graham, 26 June 1813.

18
. WD, Wellington to Dalhousie, 2 July 1813.

19
. WSD, Fletcher to Wellington, 11 July 1813.

20
. Smith was the senior engineer with Graham’s force was before San Sebastian. Fletcher was still coming up from Pamplona. Burgoyne arrived with him on 15 July 1813.

21
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 960. Dickson clearly records at the end of his diary entry for 12 July 1813, that ‘This plan of attack was the proposition of Major Smith.’

22
. WSD, Graham to Wellington, 22 July 1813.

23
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 952.

24
. As previously, Jones’ Journal is misleading. He lists the full eighteen officers as present throughout the siege, but at least two did not arrive until well into the second siege. Captain Collyer and Lieutenant Wortham did not arrive until 19 August 1813 with a company of RSM. These are all counted in Jones’ totals.

25
. REM 5501-108-4, Burgoyne’s report on the siege, and WSD, Fletcher to Graham, 25 July 1813.

26
. WSD, Graham to Wellington, 21 July 1813.

27
. Frazer was one who disagreed that the fires would have caused an obstruction. Sabine,
Frazer Letters
, p. 204.

28
. Fortescue,
British Army
, Vol. 9, pp. 230–2.

29
. Oman,
Peninsular War
, Vol. 6, pp. 583–4.

30
. Myatt,
British Sieges
, pp. 162–4.

31
. Oman,
Peninsular War
, Vol. 6, pp. 565, 578; Myatt,
British Sieges
, p. 156; Sabine,
Frazer Letters
, p. 185.

32
. WSD, Fletcher to Wellington, 29 July 1813.

33
. Oman,
Peninsular War
, Vol. 6, p. 585; Fortescue,
British Army
, Vol. 9, p. 232; Sabine,
Frazer Letters
, p. 206; Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 270.

34
. WSD, Fletcher to Wellington, 29 July 1813.

35
. Oman,
Peninsular War
, Vol. 6, pp. 575, 578fn.

36
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 269.

37
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 971.
RE Journal
, February 1890, p. 34.

38
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 973.

39
. Sabine,
Frazer Letters
, pp. 198–9. H. D. Jones also thought the breach should have been stormed the first night and waiting for the second breach would add no value. ‘Delays are dangerous!!’.
RE Journal
, February 1890, p. 34.

40
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 271.

41
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 2, p. 31; Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 268.

42
. WSD, Graham to Wellington, 29 July 1813.

43
. Burgoyne complains about this in his manuscript account of the siege, but it did not make its way into Wrottesley’s account. REM 5501-108-4, p. 111.

44
. WD, Graham to Wellington, 27 Jul 1813; WSD, Fletcher to Graham, 27 July 1813.

45
. Dickson,
Manuscripts
, Vol. 5, p. 973.

46
. Sabine,
Frazer Letters
, p. 204.

47
. WSD, Graham to Wellington, 24 July 1813.

48
. Aspinal-Oglander, Freshly Remembered, pp. 256–7.

49
. Quoted in Oman,
Peninsular War
, Vol. 6, p. 583.

50
. Ibid, p. 584.

51
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, pp. 269–70.

52
. J. T. Jones,
Journal of Sieges
, Vol. 2, p. 45.

53
.
RE Journal
, January 1890, p. 34. H. D. Jones’ journal.

54
. Carr-Gomm,
Letters and Journals of Field-Marshal Gomm
, pp. 311–12.

55
. Ibid, pp. 314–16.

56
. There are similar outspoken comments in the correspondence of most of the key engineers, including Elphinstone, Jones, Pasley, Squire, Burgoyne and Ross.

57
. Connolly,
History of the Corps of Sappers and Miners
, pp. 194–7.

58
. REM 5501-59-7, p. 65, Wright to Burgoyne, not dated.

59
. WD, Wellington to Fletcher, Lesaca, 6 August 1813.

60
. WSD, Graham to Wellington, Oyarzun, 14 August 1813.

61
. WSD, Graham to Wellington, 28 August 1813 and 28 August 1813.

62
. Sabine,
Frazer Letters
, p. 228. Burgoyne makes no mention of this advance battery being ordered.

63
. Fletcher, Rhodes and Collyer killed. Burgoyne, Barry and Marshall wounded.

64
. There were two officers senior to Burgoyne in the Peninsula, Elphinstone was at Lisbon and Goldfinch was at Pamplona.

65
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, p. 273. The footnote on this page suggests that Burgoyne did not like the original plan and offered an alternative to Wellington on 25 July 1813, presumably after the failed assault. I can find no details of this alternate plan, but as mentioned above both Jones and Fletcher were of the view that Wellington wanted to persevere with the original plan of attack. Unfortunately, no-one has explained the reasoning behind the decision to persevere.

66
. For example, WD, Wellington to Graham, 16 July 1813, 8:30 p.m.; 20 July 1813, 2 p.m.; 22 July 1813, 9 a.m.

67
.
RE Journal
, January 1890, p. 32.

68
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, Vol. 1, p. 274.

69
. REM 5501-79, Burgoyne to Rowley, 14 October 1813.

70
. BL Add MS41963, Pasley Papers, Burgoyne to Pasley, 31 October 1813.

71
. Wrottesley,
Life of Burgoyne
, Vol. 1, p. 282.

72
. WO55/959 Burgoyne to Mann, 10 September 1813.

73
. REM 355.486, Jones
Autobiography
, manuscript, p. 58.

74
. REM 4201-274, Elphinstone Letters, 22 March 1813.

75
. BL Add41963 f. 131-2, Pasley papers, Burgoyne to Pasley, 24 November 1813.

76
. REM 4201-274, Elphinstone to his wife, 13 October 1813.

77
. REM 4201-274, Elphinstone to his wife, 16 October 1813.