597 
I ” TROOP (NOW “I” BATTERY), ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY, 
AT THE BATTLE OF FUENTES D’ONORE. 
BY 
COLONEL F. A. WHINYATES, late R.A. 
The Regiment has always shown considerable interest in the circum¬ 
stances connected with Captain R. Bull's Troop at the battle of Fuentes 
D’Onore, 5th May, 1811, when its 2nd Captain, Norman Ramsay, so 
distinguished himself by his dashing exploit on that day. It is 
strange we have no regimental record of the event, and only know of 
it through Napier’s often quoted description in his “ History of the 
Peninsular War.” It has generally been assumed that the whole 
Troop was in this affair and was surrounded by the French cavalry. 
This I have always doubted because both Lieut.-Col. H. Framingham, 
who commanded the R.H.A., and Captain Bull, were present at the 
battle, as appears by reference to their services in “ Kane’s List.” Had 
the whole Troop been cut off we may fairly assume Bull, who was in 
command, would have been with it, not being so, we must conclude it 
was but a portion, and, I think, it can be shown by good evidence it was 
a division, or two guns. About 60 years ago, viz., about 1830, there 
came out in the United Service Journal a series of papers entitled, “ The 
British Cavalry in the Peninsula,” as may be expected they give some 
information about the R.H.A. and as “ I” Troop was always with the 
cavalry there is more, perhaps, about it than others. In the volume of 
the Journal for 1832, page 459, occurs the following account of what 
did happen to a portion of “ I ” Troop on the eventful 5th of May, 
1811 
“ By reference to the plate of the Battle of Fuentes in Colonel Napier’s 
History, which is very good and clear, it will be observed that the 
River Turones and Nava-da-ver form a long plateau. The French 
cavalry having closed upon our side of Nava-da-ver made an impetuous 
charge on our picquets, and for a time were in possession of two of 
our guns, at least they were around the guns, and if the gallant 
Norman Ramsay had agreed scientifically he might fairly have ac¬ 
counted himself a prisoner. Such a thought never entered his noble 
mind, but heading his gunners he charged the enemy and cleared the 
12 . VOL. XIX. 
