A FAMOUS ARTILLERY CHARGE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 199, 11 August 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FAMOUS ARTILLERY CHARGE.

Cavalry and infantry charges ait everyday incidents of Varfare in the open field, but the "artillery charge" of Fuentes d'Onoro is unique in history. On May 5, 1811, Marshal Massena attacked Wellington's forces near this litt'e Peninsular town. The French cavalry made a brilliant charge, forcing back the outposts of British troopers and cutting off Captain Norman Hamsay's batttery of horse artillery from the rest of the allied army. jlassena's leading squadrons continued their impetuous course, but as they approached the British infantry t'hey wer.o momentarily checked. .lust at this instant a curious confusion was noticed among the ranks of the troopers, and the flash of swords and discharge of pistols indicated that some kind of struggle was going on among their serried ranks. The British infantry were puzzled by tins extraordinary tumult, when suddenly they heard an English cheer burst forth from among the advancing squadrons, and Captain Ramsay appeared galloping with drawn sword at the head of his battery. The ginis followed at headlong speed, the panting 'horses had been lashed into a reckless gallop; and now the mounted men, leaning forward on their horses with pointed sabres, were thrusting and harking their way out of the trap into which they had fallen. Brotherton, at the "head of the 14th Light Dragoons, took in the situation at a glance. He led his squadron straight against tiie foremost of Ramsay's purGeneral Stewart joined, and engaged in a hand-to-hand combat with the French Colonel Lamotte, who was lompel'ed to surrender. The Light Division advanced and " foxuied to receive cavalry": the Britisli horse and the rescued battery went round to the rear of the famous infantry regiment, and the French advance was temporarily checked. Ramsay was later on the victim of Wellington's severity, and died practically without promotion. Yet it was grace to him that Tennyson was able to write, in his funeral ode on the Iron Duke, that t'he letter "never lost an English gun."