File:A history of the Peninsular War (1902) (14579288400).jpg

Identifier: historyofpenins05oman (find matches)
Title: A history of the Peninsular War
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Oman, Charles William Chadwick, Sir, 1860-1946
Subjects: Peninsular War, 1807-1814
Publisher: Oxford : Clarendon Press
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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ver, refused to turn back froman enterprise in which he considered his honour involved, andthe tempest having abated on the night of Jan. 2nd-3rd, orderedthe batteries and approaches to be remanned, and directedthat an attempt should be made to sap forward toward the Jesustower from the left advanced trenches. The work done wasfeeble—the batteries had fired only fifty shots by evening, andthe repairs to the damaged works were very incomplete. Even Victors obstinacy yielded, however, when on the nightof the 3rd-4th January another furious storm arose, and oncemore stopped all possibility of continuing operations. No foodhad now come up from the base for many days, and the storesat the front being exhausted, the Marshal saw that it wasnecessary to march at once. An attempt was made to with-draw the guns from the batteries, but only one 12-pounder andtwo howitzers were got off—the horses were so weak and the 1 Defence of Tarifa, p. 47. a See the letter in Belmas, iv. pp. 55-6. TARIFA
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ft.V.SSouJ^S^e, Ckiprdl, \<MH- Scale of Yards 500 1812) VICTORS RETREAT 129 ground so sodden that even when 200 infantry were set to help,most of the pieces could not be dragged more than a few yards.Wherefore the attempt was given over, the powder in thebatteries was thrown open to the rain, the balls rolled into theRetiro ravine, the nine remaining heavy guns spiked. On the night of the 4th-5th the army crawled off on the roadto Vejer, abandoning nearly all its material in its camps. Anattempt was made to fire a mass of abandoned vehicles, butthe rain stopped it. Next morning the French were passing thedefile of Torre Pena, under the not very effective fire of anEnglish frigate, which kept as close to the shore as was possibleon a very rough day. The four guns from the battery at thispoint were brought on, with much toil, and no wounded wereabandoned. On the 6th the column reached Tayvilla, whereit found a convoy and 100 horses, which were of inestimablevalue, for those with the

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