MEMORIES OF AN OLD RIFLEMAN.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 241, 29 January 1898, Page 5 (Supplement)

MEMORIES OF AN OLD RIFLEMAN.

It has occurred to me (says Major-Gene ral Sir Edmund F. Du Cane in the Coruhill Magizine) that some memories of the Penhmila War, noted from the lips of othcers who took part in it, may have sufficient body aud flavour to make them acceptable to the present generation. A remarkable revival of curiosity iu the events of the time of Napoleon has lately arisen, aud there is a romance and interest in the wars of those times which attach to none of the more recent contests. The source of many of those stories was Lieutenant-Colonel Molloy, who served iu the 95th, now the Rifle Brigade, in the expedition to Spain under Sir A. Wellesley in 1808, fought under him at Rolica and Vimieria, where he was wounded, aud with a short interval, when he was at Marlow, served through all the campaigns until Waterloo, when he was wounded again. As the future Duke of Wellington was constantly with the advanced posts, Lieu-tenant-Colonel Molly later on saw a good deal of him and frequently dined with him. On one of these occasions Lord Wellington was telling his next neighbour the story of the battle of Vimieria. The rest of the table stopped talking to hear him ; the cessation to the buzz attracted his attention, and he broke off, saying, “Ah, well, there are plenty of fellows who can tell the story as well as lean.” He was averse to talking of his prowess, but in those days he always kept the anniversary of Vimieria (August 21, 1808), the first pitched battle in which he commanded against the French, .celebrating it by a dinner. It does not seem that the Spaniards had any particular prejudice in our favour, or any remarkable confidence in our soldiers—in the early days,_ at all events. When the army under Sir John Moore was retreating to Corunna, some Spanish women were heard to say, “ Well, they are fine men, but they are great cowards” Moreover, there were officers in the army who had not the same blind confidence in their great commander which they afterwards had. William Napier was very critical. In the advance from Ciudad Rodrigo, in 1813, he once vented his feelings thus: “ Well, here we go again. We shall get so far, and then have our —— kicked and come back here again.” We certainly had advanced into Spain and retreated three times, but on this occasion Lord Wellington felt so much certainty in his com ing success, that in crossing the frontier he cried out, “ Adieu, Portugal,” having made arrangements to shift his base of operations to Santander, in tin northeast of Spain. The feeling that gradually grew up among the rank and file is illustrated by the following story, told by the Duke himself to Sir John Macdonald, the Ad-jutant-General of later years. ‘‘The greatest compliment I have had paid in my life,” ho said, “ was once when our fellows got into a scrape in the north of Spain and had been beaten back in some disorder. I rode up and rallied them led them back, and they recovered the lost ground. Just as I rode up, one of the men stepped out of the ranks and called oat, ‘ Here c omes ' the •as knows how.’ ” Gur army had sometimes to contend not only with the passive oppositon ani indolence of the Spanish, but also with the deliberate assistance they gave to the French against whom we were assisting them. \Vhen the English array had to retire after Talwera owing to tho failure of the Spaniards to co-operate and to hold the passes on our flank, it was transferred to tho north-eastern frontier of Portugal, and four companies of the Ist Battalion of Rifles were posted along the Agueda, They held the village of Barba del Paerco, opposite to which, on the other side of the river, was San Felice held by the French, and the two villages were connected by a bridge, which was the only one below Ciudad Rodrigo. Our officers used to go down to the village and dance with the girls, and an old woman used to sing a song about the celebrated guerilla : Don Julian Sanchez Con sus lauceros Yban ii Rodrigo Tomar los Franceses. The Padre did not like all this, and went and informed tho French. Their commanding officer determined on a surprise. He posted 600 men in the shadow of the rocks, and one night when the dancing had gone on till twelve o’clock the French crept across the bridge and fell on our posts higher up the hill. They were finally driven back, however, by the Rifles under Sydney Beckwith. This was the first meeting of English and French after Talavora, and was the opening of Mesaena’s campaign of 1810. Don Julian Sanchez was in Cuidad Rodrigo when it was surrounded by the French, but cut his way out, and in doing so even attacked a French cavalry force and carried off some prisoners. Those of his troopers who had wives cirned them with them, and they did their share of the fighting. Lieutenant Molloy after he went home joined the Military College at Marlow, where ho had as a fellow-student the future Sir George Brown, who was also in tho 95th. His father was at tho Horse Guards, and one day Brown said to him, “Jack, I’m going to exchange into tho .” This was a surprise. “ Why leave the old orpsP” ho said. “ However, I suppose your father knows best.” Tho exchange took place, aud tho explanation soon followed, but shortly after almost all the officers were exchanged to other regiments, and Brown found hims>lf near the top of the list. Sir George Brown was a roughmannered but kindly officer. When he was Adjutant-General in 1851, Colonel Molloy was sitting in his office when an officer oime in to ask for an extension of leave. “Go back to your regiment at once, sir,” was the answer. “Isay, George, you might have been more civil; you’ve g>t a devil of a name outside,* slid Molloy. The answer wa«, “My dear Jack, ho only wants to stay among the gambling-houses.”