3 
The following extract is taken from “ Recollections of My Military Life,” by 
Colonel Landmann, late of the Corps of Royal Engineers, London, 1854. The 
Author states in the Preface cf My records are the result of memory, largely aided 
by voluminous documents, journals, and copious notes on the spot. ... I 
feel satisfied that my statements may be received and repeated as historical facts.” 
The extract is part of the account of the combat of Rolhja, fought on 17th 
August, 1808, between the English and Portuguese under Sir Arthur Wellesley, 
and French under General Laborde. The Artillery that took part in the combat 
are now represented by the 37th Field Battery, 1/2 Depot Division Field Artil¬ 
lery, and the lltli Company Southern Division, R.A. 
The extract is as follows :—“ Within fifty yards of the above-mentioned four 
windmills, I found Lieutenant-Colonel Robe, of the Royal Artillery, preparing to 
open a battery on the enemy, whom we could in many places perceive, notwith¬ 
standing the thick pine forest they occupied. 
The battery being ready to open. Robe, near whom I was standing, turned to 
me and asked what I considered the distance to be from our position to the 
enemy’s line, in a rather oblique direction to our left, where the high road was 
seen winding into one of the ravines, and which appeared to be guarded by a 
Swiss regiment, with red coats and sky-blue facings. I answered that I thought 
the distance might be about 800 or 900 yards ; upon which Robe observed, 
c I think that must be very near the mark and added, ‘ I’ll try a shrapnel 
at them for that range.’ He accordingly ordered a fuze to be cut for 850 yards. 
I now took out my glass, and having ascertained the exact part of the line at 
which the gun had been pointed, I went a few yards to the left to clear the smoke, 
and when the shell was fired it burst beautifully, at a short distance before it 
reached the line, upon which I immediately noticed a great number of the enemy 
drop on the ground. A second shell was discharged with similar result; when I 
suggested to Robe not to fire any more on that part of the line, in order that w T e 
might judge by the number of killed what number on the whole might have been 
wounded and killed by the two shells, for we were sure of gaining possession 
of the ground they then occupied. 
The fire was afterwards directed over the heads of the attacking columns on 
two 4-pounders, planted at the head of a ravine, in which our troops were 
ascending and suffering very much from a rapid discharge of cannister. These 
guns now turned their fire upon us with round shot, and we thus relieved the 
infantry from the cannister fire. . . .1 completed a panoramic view of the 
battle drawn from the place close to where stood the guns under Robe that had 
opened on the French Artillery and Swiss Regiments with slirapnell (sic) shell; 
the first time of their being used in a field engagement .” 
Colonel Landmann does not seem to have carried out his idea of visiting the 
ground near where the shells burst. 
6 a 
