SWABEY DIARY. 39 
very angry with him for being with his troop in a place where his 
Lordship did not expect him to be, notwithstanding that his orders 
bore him out in being there. Lord Wellington would listen to no reason 
or explanation, and as Major Frazer informed me, raved like a madman 
to Colonel Dickson, applying to Ramsay every ungentlemanly and vile 
epithet that ever disgraced Billingsgate. It was fortunate that Norman 
was not in the way, as Frazer declared no man under any circumstances 
could have brooked theabuse. It is singular, for Lord Wellington has 
been heard so often to speak in terms of the highest applause both of 
Ramsay and the troop. He, however, put him in arrest, and it is 
thought withheld the recommendation he might otherwise have given. 
I mention this more as an anecdote of Lord Wellington than as con- 
nected with my journal, and it is a very fair characteristic of him when 
displeased. JI have more pleasure in recording the liberality of Sir 
Thomas Graham, who a few days afterwards, when the troop was 
engaged, suspended the arrest and put Ramsay at the head of it, sensible 
of the injustice done him; few of our Generals would have ventured 
on such a step.! 
The subject of Norman Ramsay’s arrest has been always regarded 
with sympathetic interest in the Regiment, I therefore give 
the accounts, identical in all respects, as related in after years 
by Lieut.-Colonels Blachley and Cator to the latter’s son, now 
Sir J. Farnaby Lennard (late R.H.A.), who has kindly sent 
it to me.—(F.A.w.) 
“ After the battle of Vitoria when every effort was made to press 
the French, Lord Wellington at a certain spot on the Sal- 
vatierra cross road which runs between those leading to St. 
Sebastian and Pamplona overtook Ramsay’s troop. He gave 
Ramsay orders to remain there until he had personal orders 
from him and rode on. The troop accordingly encamped. 
Early next morning one of the Quarter-Master-General’s 
Staff, I forget his name but he was a prig, came up with 
orders to Ramsay to move to Pamplona. Ramsay who was a 
very lazy man, and only the gallant and brilliant soldier when 
under fire, was in bed in his tent. My father went to him 
with the Staff Officer who gave him his orders. Ramsay 
asked, ‘Am I to take this order as from Lord Wellington, for 
he gave me positive orders not to move without personal 
orders from himself.? The reply was, ‘this order is from 
Lord Wellington,’ upon which with much hesitation Ramsay 
prepared and marched. The troop had not gone far when 
his Lordship with his own Staff came to the spot where he 
had left it the evening before; he was very angry at not 
finding Ramsay, and galloped after him. When he overtook 
it the troop was halted at a small river, the bridge over which 
had been blown up by the French. He addressed Blachley 
1 Sir Thomas Graham was a much older man than Lord Wellington, being at this time 68 years 
of age. It is noticeable that the latter always addressed him more formally in correspondence than 
in communicating with other General Officers in the army. Sir Thomas wrote a letter on behalf 
of Ramsay but it was not well received by Lord Wellington.—(#.4.w.) 
