7s aaa 
SEP SS 1895 
7, 
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S. PATENT 08H 
— 495 
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LIEUTENANT W. SWABRY, R.G.A., IN THE 
PENINSULA. 
EDITED BY \ 
\ 
COLONEL F. A. WHINYATHS, late R.H.A. vp 
(Continued from p. 423, No. 8, Vol. XXTII.). \ 
Cuaprer IV. 
Retreat from Madrid. Scenes at Valdemoro. Destruction of the 
Retiro. Spanish cruelty. Salamanca. Retreat continued to Ciudad 
Rodrigo. Affar at San Muiios. The Army returns to Portugal. 
2ith October.—The reports sent in to-day announce the further 
advance of the enemy. We are already driven back as far as Ocaiia. 
28th October.—The troop crossed the water and went to Casa del 
Campo, whilst I was sent to support the cavalry with my two guns 
and a battalion of Cacadores to a village near Ocafia. 
I dined with the Major of the regiment, an English officer, and 
blushed at his expedient to provide wine for his table. He sent a 
sergeant to tell the owner of some wine that he would provide him 
with a safe-cuard, but should expect some of the wine in return. 
29th October.—The enemy’s cavalry and ours were skirmishing 
all day. At about 8 o’clock in the evening the cavalry retired through 
the village where I was, when I got orders from Sir William Erskine 
to fall back and occupy the pass at Aranjuez, where I lay on the 
ground, passing cold, till 1 o’ciock. Then came an order to retire 
across the bridge to Casa del Campo to join the troop, which I 
accomplished by day-hght and found there General Long’s brigade. 
[Just before we began the retreat in 1812, the army, except the 
picquets, was withdrawn to the Madrid side of the river. I was on 
duty the night the French advanced on the other side. So strictly 
were we on the defensive, that it had been found necessary to cut the 
arches of the bridge, which had only been patched with wood after 
haying been blown up a short time before when King Joseph quitted 
Madrid. When the piquets were withdrawn and I came down to the 
bridge, or rather to the place where the bridge had been, I found I had 
been forgotten, and the guns were obliged to be dragged by tackle 
through the river and the horses swum over]. 
80th October.—Our bridges being blown up we moved to Villa 
Campo where the troop ‘bivouacked. We had no rations but for- 
tunately I found a house where we got some mutton, I performed the 
office of cook, and at 12 o’clock at night we had some mutton chops. 
9. VOU. XX. 58 
