The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-01 00:00:00

THE UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL.

This is decidedly one of the most interesting
publications of the day, because it is not spun
out of fine imaginative conceits, but furnishes
us with more of the dread and stirring realities
of life than any other periodiCal. It is a
chronicle of hair-breadth 'scapes and
moving adventures which engage our attention
and command our sympathies in a thousand, ways.
We have battles on land and shipwrecks at sea :
—we have sieges and disasters, and touching
reminiscences of all and every thing most familiar
to the soldier, the sailor, and occasionally
most painful to those more deeply interested in
.
their perilous performances. The sketch of Abe
battle of Vittoria, in the present number, is par-
ticularly one of this description. It is a battle.
so truly British, that we hesitate not in quoting
a large portion of this spirited sketch :

" All the movements of our army required the nicest
calculations, both for the attack and defence; for at this
time the four great columns advancing were separated by
difficult rocks and a ruggid country, interspersed with deep
gulleys, narrow roads, and scattered hamlets. The enemy
were again under the painful necessity, for the third time
in one month, of manoeuvring on two sides of a square ;
and the first cannon fired by Lord Lynedoch, at Abeehueho
and Gamarra Major,* must have been to Joseph-and Mar-
shal Jourdan, (his Major-General,) like a shock of elec-
tricity; all in an instant was riot and confusion in Vitturia ;
the baggage stuck fast, blocking up all the roads and even
the fields.

"At half-past eleven o'clock the Duke of Wellington led
the way by a hol'ow road, followed by the light division,
which he placed unobserved amongst some trees, exactly
Opposite the enemy's right centre, and within two hundred
yards of the bridge of Villoses, which we understood, was
to be carried at the point, of the bayonet. I felt anxiou-
to obtain a view, and, leisurely walking between the trees,
I found myself at the edge of the wood, and within a very
short distance of the enemy's cannon, planted with lighted
matches ready to apply to them. Had the attack begun
here, the French never could have stood to their guns so
near the thicket; otherwise the riflemen would have an-
nihilated them. The General-in-chief was now most
anxiously looking out for the third and seventh divisions
to make their appearance. We had remained some time in
the wood when a Spanish peasant told the Duke of Wel-
lington, that the enemy had left one of the bridges across
the Zadora unprotected, arid offered his services to lead us
over it. Our right brigade instantly moved to its left by
threes, at a rapid pace, along a very uneven and circuitous
path, whip!' was concealed from the
.obsei vation of the
French by high rocks ; and reached the narrow bridge,
which crossed the river to Yruna. The first Rifles led.
the way, and the whole brigade following, passed at a run,:
with firelocks and rifles ready cocked, and ascended a steep,
road of fifty yards, at the top of which was an old chaiio,'
which we had no sooner cleared than we observed,
a heaVy column of French on the principal hill, and com-
manding a bird's eye view of us ; however; fortunately, a 7
convex bank formed a sort of the de pont, behind which.
the regiments formed at full speed without any word . of,
command. Two round shots came amongst us; the second,
severed the head from the body of our bold 'guide the'
Spanish peasant. The soldiers were so well concealed that
the enemy ceased firing. Our post was most extraordinary;
as we were at the elbow of the French position, and isolated
from the rest of the army, within one hundred yards of thd,
- •
enemy's advance, and absolutely occupying put of their posi-4,
tion on the left of the river, Without any attempt being made
by them to dislodge us ; scarcely the sound of-a shot from any,
direction, struck on the ear, and we were in momentary;
expectation of being immolated ; and as I looked over thd
bank, I could see El Rey Joseph, surrounded by at least
five thousand men, within five hundred yards of us. The
reason he did not attack is inexplicable, and I think, cannot
be accounted for by the roost ingenious narrator.
" Major-General Sir James Kempt expressed much
wonder at our critical position, without being molested,
and sent his aide-de7camp at speed across the river for the
15th Hu-isars, who came forward singly and at a gallop up
the steep path, and dismounted in the rear of our centre.
The French dragoons coolly, and at a very slow pace,
came within fifty yards, to examine, if possible, the strength
of our force, when a few shots from the rifles induced them
to decamp. I observed three bridges, within a quarter of
a mile of each other, at the elbow of the enemy's position.
We had crossed the centre one, while the other two, '1.104
and left, were still occupied by the French artillery ;•
the latter, the enemy had thrown up an earth entrench nuanit.

" We continued in this awkward state for half an hour,
when we observed the centre of the enemy drawing off by
degrees towards Vittoria, and also the head of the. third
division rapidly debauching from some rocks on our left
near Mendoza, when the battery at Tres Puentes opened
upon them „which was answered by two guns from the horse
artillery on the right of the river. Some companies of the
rifle corps sprang from the ground, where they lay con-
cealed, and darted forward, opening a galling fire on the
left flank of the enemy's gunners, at great risk to them-
selves of being driven into the water, as the river ran im-
mediately on their left, while the French cavalry hovered

• We could not see the extreme right of the enemy sta-
tioned near Arunnez in front of Al4echucho and Ganiarra
Major.

on their right; however, 80 Well did this gallant band ap-
ply their loose balls, that the enemy limbered up their
guns, and hastily retired; and the third division at a run,
j'erossed the bridge of Tres Puentes, cheering, but unop-
posed.f
" The enemy Withdrew the artillery from the bridges
in the. centre at two o'clock p.m. and were forming across
the high road to Vittoria. The third division had no
sooner closed up in contiguous columns than Sir Thomas
Pieton led them forwarl in very handsome style in column
by a flank movement, so as to place them exactly opposite
the French centre. The fourth division directly after
crossed the river by the bridge of Nanclara, and were hurry-
ing forward to support the right flank of the third division ;.
the seventh division also crossed the bridge Tres Puentes,
supported by the second brigade of the light division, and
faced.the small village of Marganta. Our heavy horse and
dragoons had deployed into line, on the other side of the
river, so. as to communicate with the rear of the second
division, (in the event of thek being driven back from
the mountaina,) or to support the centre of the army in
case of any disaster:. They made a brilliant display of
golden helmets anti sparkling swords glittering in the rays
of the sun. -

" Three divisions being in motion, the centre and left
supported by the the light division, and the Hussar brigade
the battle began by a terrible discharge on the third di-
vision, while they were deploying into line. We closed
up to them behind a bank ; when with loud huzzas they
rushed from behind it, into the village of Ariyez, with
fixed bayonets, amidst flashing small arms and rolling ar-:
tillery, and after a bloody struggle, carried it. The enemy's
artillery was within two hundred yards of us, plowing up
the ground in our rear : fortunately, the bank nearly
covered us, during the time it was necessary to remain in-
active, to support the front attack if needful. A Portu-
guese regiment, attached to our brigade, had been detached
fora short time, and rejoined in close column ; but just before
they reached the cover some round shot tore open their
c"ntre, and knocked over many men ; and such was the alarm
of a Portuguese officer, by the whizzing of balls and burst-
ing of field shells, that he fell into an officer's arms, weep-
ing bitterly. For ten minutes at this point, what with
dust and smoke, it was impossible to distinguish any ob-
ject in front, save the shadows of the French artillerymen
serving the guns, and the shouts of troops while forcing
their way into the village. The smoke had no sooner
cleared away than we came on the bodies of many dead
and gasping soldiers stretched in the dust. The sharp fire
of musketry and artillery in the centre, announced it to be
the point ()1.-contest. The advance of the second division
had been severely handled on the mountains to our right,
but they were now getting on as speedily as the nature of
the ground would admit ; it being composed of deep ravins,
and such natural obstacles, as almost to delay their prc-
gress unopposed.
" The first and fifth divisions were engaged at Gamarra
Major and Abechucho, in front of the bridges over the Za-
dora. The villages were carried after a smart action, by
which a position was gained, threatening the enemy's line
of retreat, by the high road to France, running N.N.E.
some distance close on the left of the river. The bridge
was attempted but was found impracticable, until our centre
had forced the enemy to give up Vittoria. The diffe-
rent divisions in the centre were exposed to a desultory
fire, while passing the villages of Gomecha and Luazu de
Alva, and over broken ground, forming lines, columns, or
threading the windings of difficult paths, according to the
nature of the country, or the opposition.of the enemy. The
fourth division pushed back the left centre of the French,
and were fighting successfully, and performing prodigies
of valour, among crags and broken ground. The seventh
division now came in contact with the enemy's right centre,
which resisted so desperately, and galled them from a
wood and the windows of houses with such showers of
bullets, that victory for a short time was doubtful ; how-
ever, the second brigade of the light division coming up
fresh and with closed ranks, assisted by the seventh di-
vision, broke through all opposition at a run, and routed
the enemy at the point of the bayonet. The four divisions
of the centre continued to gain ground, shooting forward
alternately, leaving the killed and wounded scattered over
the great extent of country. At six o'clock in the even-
ing, by a sort of running fight, with hard contests at cer-
tain points, the centre of the army had gained five miles
in this amphitheatre. For Lord Hill's corps was on the
mountains, and Lord Lynedoch was still on the right of
the Zadora.

" The Duke of Well,ington. was in the middle of the
battle, vigorously driving the enemy, to finish that which
the wings had so well begun. First, Lord Hill's move-
ment in the morning caused the enemy to weaken his left
centre ; then Lord Lynedoch's attack induced them to
give up the front line of the Z,dora without hardly a shot
being fired. At half-past six we were within one mile of
Vittoria, situated in a fruitful valley, when the French
army now drew up, and showed such an imposing front
that our left centre facing Ali were completely kept at
bay, owing to the blazing of one hundred pieces of cannon
vomiting forth death and destruction to all who advanced
against them. This roaring of artillery continued for
more than an hour on both sides with unabated vigour--
the smoke rolled up in such clouds that we could no
longer distinguish the white town of Vittoria ; the liquid
fire marked the activity of the French gunners. During
this momentous struggle the left centre of the French
covered a bare bill, and continued for a considerable time
immovable; while, pouring their musketry into the now
thinned ranks of the third division, it was doubtful
whether the latter would be able to keep their guard under
such a deadly fire from very superior numbers; however,
they maintained this dangerous post with heroic firmness,
having led the van throughout the thick of the battle. At
this period of the action it was absolutely necessary to
strain every nerve to win it before nightfall. The fourth
division, en our right, shot forward against a sugar-loaf
bill, and broke a French division, who retired up in a
confused mass, firing over each other's heads, without
danger to themselves, owing to the steepness of its ascent.
I was laughing at this novel method of throwing bullets,
whsen one struck me on the sash, and fell at my feet,
thereby cooling my ardour for a short time ; however,
when a little recovered from the pain, I picked it up, and
put the precious bit of lead into my pocket.
" The scene that now presented itself was magnifi-
cently grand ; the valley resounded with confused sounds
like those of a volcanic eruption, and was crowded with
red bodies of infantry and the smoking artillery, while
the cavalry eagerly looked for an opening to gallop into the
town. On one side of the field rose majestically the
spiral and purple-capped mountains, rearing their pinnacles
on high ; on the other ran the glassy waters of the Zadora ;
the departing sun threw his last beams to light up the
-efforts of those struggling in dangerous strife for the de-
liverance of Spain. The enemy sacrificed all their can-
non, with the exception of eight pieces, while withdraw-
ing the right of their army behind the left wing, under
cover of this.trerneudous cannonade, which was the only
chance yet left them to quit the field in a compact body.
This movement being executed in strange confusion in and
about Vittoria, their left wing retired by echelon of di-
visions and brigades from the right, while delivering their
fire; and finally, their last division quitted the field with
nearly empty cartridge-boxes, and taking the road to-
, wards Pamplona. The greater portion of our army then
brought up its left shoulder, or rather wheeled the quarter
circle to its right, which movement brought us on the
road to Pamplona. The French managed to drag the
eight pieces of artillery across the fields for nearly a league ;
but, coming to marshy ground, they stuck fast, and three
of them rolled into a ditch, with mules struggling to dis-
entangle themselves from _their harness. Two pieces the
enemy carried clear out of the action, leaving their nume-
rous cannon behind them, owing to the roads being so
blocked up with waggons. The dark shades of evening
.had already veiled the distant objects from our view, and
nothing of the battle remained, save the lighting flashes of
the enemy's small arms on our cavalry, who continued to
hover and threaten their rear guard. The road to Pam-
plona was choaked up with many carriages, filled with
imploring 'ladies, waggons loaded with specie §, powder
and ball, wounded soldiers, intermixed with droves of
oxen, sheep, goats, mules, horses, asses, milch-cows, files
de chambre, and officers. In fact, such a jumble surely
never was witnessed before; it seemed as if all the do-
mestic animals in the world had been brought to this
spot, with all the utensils of husbandry, and all the finery
of palaces, mixed up into one heterogeneous mass.
" Our brigade marched pass this strange scene, I may
assert, of domestic strife in close column, nor did I see a
soldier attempt to quit the ranks, or show the most distant
wish to do so; our second brigade had not yet joined us,
when we bivouacked a league from Vittoria, on the road

t The French did not defend any of the seven bridges
across the Zadora, except the two, N. and N.N.E. near
Vittoria, although it was their original intention to do so.
The able manoeuvres of the General-in-chief threw the
French Generals into doubt : they knew not whether to
defend their left, their right, or their centre, so they gave
up one after the other, inteonformity to the threatened at-
tacks of the Duke of Wellington : which was exactly what
he wished, and most accommodating of his opponents, leav-
ing this intended great battle without beginning or with-
out end ; for the French infantry were not half beat, before
disjointed orders and crowds of baggage blocking up the
different roads, completed their confusion past all remedy.
§ Some excesses were committed, although the greater
part of the booty, as usual, was bagged by the followers
of the army,

towards Pamplona. The half-famished soldiers had no
sooner disencumbered themselves of their knapsacks than
they went to forage; for even here the sheep and goats
were running about in all directions, and large bags of
flour lay by the side of the load; in fact, for miles round
the town, the great wreck of military stores was scattered
in every direction.
" Night put an end to the contest ; the irowlirw of
artillery ceased, the enemy were flying in disorder, the
British army bivouacked round Vittoria, large fires were
kindled and blazed up, and illumined the country, over
which were strewed the dead and suffering officers and
soldiers ; strange sounds continued throughout the night,
and pas,ing lights might be seen- on the highest moun-
tains and distant valleys."

The article on the standing and setting of mai
is scientific, and bears the marks of a practical
hand. A smart ship, like a fine girl, should be
trim at all points. " Renuirks on Jo►►►i►ti's
Theorlis a keen but just reproofof the apologist's
ridiculous system of excusing what he cannot.
defend, while at the same time he assumes what
he knows to be false. " Narrative of the Loss
of the Brig Woodlark" is full of painful adven-
ture, but firm resignation, which at length obtains
the haven of its hope. The review of Col. Napier's
history is honourable at once to the critic, and
to the gallant soldier's very interesting and me-
ritorious work. The number is altogether
excellent.

EDWARDS'S BOTANICAL REGISTER,

OR, ORNAMENTAL FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY,

Continued by JoliN LtNDLET,

Prosessor of Botany in the University of London—No. 8,

Vol. 11. New Series.

This number contains one of the finest peren-
nial plants we think we ever saw ; it is Pentste-
mon speciosum, glowing from two to three feet
high, and covered with brilliant lightish purple
blossoms. As the plant is perfectly hardy, and
produces seed in abundance, we may expect to
find it shortly in every collection. Of very con-
siderable beauty also is the small-leaved Fuchsia,
which, from increasing rapidly by cutting, is
also likely to become as familiar as the other
kinds. As a garden plant it is, in our estima-
tion, by far the most interesting species in culti-
vation ; destitute indeed of the glaring colour
and nodding flowers of Fuchsia gracilis and
coccinea, but possessing a rich deep green foliage,
among which the little glowing ruby-coloured
flowers are crowded in the greatest profusion.
The other subjects of the number are little in-
ferior in point either of beauty or interest ;
indeed, each succeding number tends to justify
the high encomiums passed on the work by both
the practical gardener and scientific botanist.