ACHIEVEMENTS OE FIELD ARTILLERY. 
561 
may be criticised and pulled to pieces by an assembly of civilians con¬ 
fident and inexperienced dare not incur. 
One feat of the arm of the Peninsula days is, however, widely 
celebrated, that, namely, which Norman Ramsay's troop performed at 
Fuentes d’Ouore, and this unfortunately seems quite out of place in a 
discussion of this kind. As has been well said, “L’artillerie n’a qu* une 
tactique—le feu .” 1 What lies outside the sphere of fire, be it batteries 
charging cavalry, or gunners, as in another celebrated instance, imi¬ 
tating that arm, may fascinate us by its magnificence, but is not war. 
Therefore a splendid piece of daring is omitted from this record, 
although it is justly dear to the Regiment, and deserves to be cherished 
as an instance of what a quick eye and instant decision may accom¬ 
plish. 1 2 
Small isolated cases, too, where a few guns, or even a single battery, 
have been equal to some difficult occasion, or have attracted notice by 
their soldierlike conduct, have also been left out of an account which 
does not pretend to be exhaustive, and which aspires to cover an 
immense period of time. It may be mentioned, however, that when 
Pakenham’s division at Salamanca fell on Thomiere’s flank and struck 
the decisive blow of the day, the fire of the 12 guns which accompanied 
it was most effective, and went far to bring about the destruction of 
the French. Admirably placed in a commanding position on the flank 
of the enemy’s column, they suddenly took their enemy in his weakest 
point, just as Blucher’s guns at Bautzen surprised Ney, and assisted 
materially in driving home a success which developed into a brilliant 
victory. 
Shortly after this battle, during the cavalry action at Ribera, on the 
24th July, 1812, when General Long’s force defeated the French under 
General Lallemand, a D” Troop, R.H.A., so highly distinguished itself 
that during a subsequent truce the French leader took the opportunity 
to send the following message to Captain Whinyates 3 :—“ Tell that 
brave man that if it had not been for him I should have beaten your 
cavalry, but that, meeting me in every movement with his fire, he 
never would allow me to form for attack. Say that I shall mention his 
name in my orders as having been the cause of our defeat, and not 
your cavalry. Be sure to tell him this. Promise to give him my 
message.” To be mentioned in your foe’s despatches is perhaps a 
higher tribute than to find a place in those of your own side, and the 
performance must have been brilliant which called forth so chivalrous 
a message. 
In Colonel Whinyates’ history 4 of “C” Battery, R.H.A., from which 
the foregoing incident has been taken, an example of effective action 
on the part of a small number of guns is also to be found which 
deserves again to be recalled to memory. 
1 de Heusch. 
2 It is to be noted, however, that it is extremely doubtful whether the feat of Norman Itamsay 
was on as large a scale as is usually supposed, and that it is not by any means certain that more 
than a portion of a troop took part in it. 
3 Afterwards Sir E. C. Whinyates, Commandant of Woolwich Garrison. 
1 See ‘’From Corunna to Sevastopol.” The History of “C” Battery “A” Brigade. By 
Colonel F. A. Whinyates, formerly Commanding the Battery. 
