tion we have been for the last month, and I dare say it will appear rather extraordinary when I tell you that we are perfectly good neighbors, and never think of molesting each other. On the contrary, I have been obliged to put a stop to the intimacy which was going on. It was by no means uncommon to see the soldiers of each army getting grapes out of the same vineyard, water from the same well, and asking each other to drink wine. Indeed, I know of some instances, though not quite cor rect, of our officers sending to Lisbon for boots and shirts for some of their friends at outposts." -Pp. 150, 151.

and not aware of his movements, which at once induced him to decide on overtaking and surprising the whole force of the French, or at all events compelling them to an action. The weather was wretched in the extreme; but the soldiers did not fail, in a long forced march instantly undertaken, in the most perfect quietude, that no symptom of their approach might alarm the enemy. By the evening of the 27th they were at Alcuescar, within four miles of their unconscious foes. Every conceivable precaution was resorted to. The light companies were thrown into the villages to prevent the natives from alarming the enemy; and the cavalry, artillery, and infantry Being attacked with fever, General Hill were disposed of in the neighboring fields, was reluctantly obliged to go to England in with the strictest orders not to cheer the cold the end of 1810. A few months at home and gloomy night with a single fire, the flickerrecruited his health, and he immediately ing of which might give indication that they returned to the army, which he rejoined in were near. The wind blew furiously; the rain fell in torrents; and the patient soldiery had May 1811. His return was hailed by the no protection from the storm, except the soldiers with eager rejoicing; and the alac-drenched coverings of their tents, which the rity with which he again resumed his duties gale had thrown down; but their patience and was destined, ere long, to receive its reward. confidence in the leader they loved deserted The French armies, in various strength, them not. They were warmed by the flush occupied the several provinces of Spain; of expectation that the morning would recomand at the time when Marmont, having Lord Wellington in front, was advancing to relieve Ciudad Rodrigo, he requested General Girard, a brave French officer, to advance from the south towards the army under General Hill, which was posted south of the Tagus, and to manœuvre upon it, so as to prevent Hill from giving aid to Wellington. This occurred in September 1811. Ciudad Rodrigo was relieved, and Girard, who had made a certain approach towards Hill, withdrew southwards again to Zafra; but afterwards, about the middle of October, made an excursion northwards, crossing the Guadiana, and spoiling the northern district of Spanish Estremadura.

pense them for all their toils; and the first rizon, when the various columns fell in, withstreaks of dawn had not appeared in the hoout a single note of a bugle or the beat even of one solitary drum. The ground was admirably chosen with a view to concealment: they filed quietly through the village, and having crossed an intervening mountain, found themselves, just as the day began to break, within half a mile of Arroyo, where Girard was yet in security, ignorant of their presence and his own danger. At this instant, a violent hail-storm, pouring on the rear of the allies, caused the faces of the French picquets to be turned from them; but just as they were ready to make the decisive movement, the clouds cleared away, the sky became serene, and the hostile corps was preparing for their march, in expectation of a propitious day. The decisive possessed of forces of superior strength to moment had arrived. General Hill was himhis, but was under considerable restriction self inspired, as was every brave man he comrespecting the sphere of operating with manded, with the enthusiasm of the scene. them, as the position which he occupied The usual calmness of his demeanor, renderwas too important to be exposed to any un-ed even more than commonly striking by the necessary hazard. Believing, nevertheless, from the information which he had received of the enemy's movements, that he could not only compel his retreat southward across the Guadiana, but strike a blow at the same time, Hill proposed to operate against him in conjunction with the troops under Castanos, and with that view put himself at the head of that part of his troops which was

destined for this service.

Hill was

What followed will best be told in the words of Mr. Sidney

"While on his march, General Hill discovered that Girard was at Arroyo de Molinos,

precautions he had taken for silence, became suddenly converted into an animation that cheered and almost amused every witness of his ardor. It seemed kindled in an instant. He drew his sword-gave a loud hurrahspurred his horse-and led the charge on the astonished ranks of the French, then forming without a thought that he was so near at hand. The first brigade, headed thus vigorof Arroyo, and the Highlanders catching up ously by himself, moved at once on the village the humor of the hour, were heard playing on their bagpipes, Heigh, Johnny Cope, are you waking yet?" The second brigade, under other side of the place, to intercept the troops General Howard, moved quietly round to the

The success of Hill gave the most cordial pleasure not only to his brother officers, but to the whole army; and Lord Wellington, in suggesting to the Government the propriety of bestowing a mark of favor on General Hill, could add with truth, that

"there was no officer to whom an act of grace and favor would be received by the army with more satisfaction."

which the first should drive out. In the cen- | cavalry and artillery. Prince D'Aremberg tre came the cavalry, ready to act in whatever was a connexion of the imperial family, way might be deemed expedient. Presently and a prisoner, to whose capture Lord Welthe 71st and 92d Regiments dashed into Arroyo, and came upon the French just as they 500 of the French were killed. Those lington attached much importance. About were filing out, with the exception of one brigade, which had marched for Medellin before who escaped were dispersed, and had daylight. This charge first announced to thrown away their arms, so that the whole them the snare into which they had fallen; corps was literally annihilated. Girard, and with only a feeble effort on the part of who was wounded in making his escape, their cavalry, they were driven before the was put under arrest by Soult; but Napobayonets of the British. The French infantry, leon, knowing his thorough bravery, fornevertheless, having emerged from the town, tried to form into two squares, with cavalry gave his disaster. on their left; but the 71st lining the gardenwalls of the town, poured into them an awful fire, which was soon succeeded by that of ar tillery. They fled in utter confusion, and the capture of prisoners, cannon, and baggage, rapidly followed. Then came the memorable pursuit of that extraordinary day. Just behind the routed forces of Girard rose the rocky and steep Sierra de Montanches, up which they clambered in a state of utter confusion, throwing away their arms, ammunition, and knap- The Order of the Bath was now confersacks, and yielding their persons as prisoners red on General Hill, who was invested with to their pursuers at every step. In the excite- the insignia at Elvas by Lord Wellington. ment of such a chase, the British, the Por-This distinction brought along with it some tuguese, and the Spaniards, seemed all to forget that they had been without rest, and rather amusing discussions relative to the soaked with rain and mist all the night before. herald's office. He writes to his brother They laughed, shouted, jumped in their heavy from Guerena,accoutrements, or caught the scrambling horses of the fugitives, who could not ride them over the mountain, and came down mounted in triumph, till fatigue caused some to desist, and the rest being too much scattered, were judiciously stopped on the summit of the Sierra by General Howard. Nearly fif teen hundred prisoners were taken, and some of them of high rank. Lieutenant Blakeney, of the 28th, leaped over a wall, and seized the Prince D'Aremberg in the midst of a group of officers. General Brun was also taken, with a colonel of caval. y, an aide-de-camp of Girard, two lieutenant-colonels, a commissaire de guerre, and no less than thirty captains and inferior officers. Girard himself, with a handful of men, escaped by the bridge of Medellin, declaring he would rather die than surrender. It was altogether a most brilliant achievement, and is thus eloquently adverted to by Major Sherer in his Recollections of the day. 'One thing in our success at Arroyo de Molinos gratified our division highly; it was a triumph for our General-a triumph all his own. He gained great credit for this well-conducted enterprise; and he gained what, to one of his mild, kind, and humane character, was still more valuable, a solid and bloodless victory; for it is certainly the truest maxim in war, "that conquest is twice achieved, where the achiever brings home full numbers."" Pp. 167-170.

The French force when attacked, consisted of about 3000 infantry, and 1600

"For my part, I do not care much what the supporters are, but, I must confess, 1 do not much like fancy figures, such as I have seen to some arms, supported by a jolly tar, a grenadier, a light infantry man, or a heary or light dragoon; such, I think, are bad. It strikes

me that animals are the handsomest.

Some

have lions: you and I, probably, would have no objection to a grey-hound, while there are others who would prefer the fox-hound: but, upon the whole, I should be glad to leave the choice to the ladies; they have more taste than we have."-Pp. 186, 187.

It would appear that his wish, respecting supporters, was attended to, as he escaped both "jolly tars," and "heavy or light dragoons.' The lion and the horse were preferred by the heralds to that honor.

The month of May 1812 was signalized by General Hill, now Sir Rowland, performing one of the most daring and successful exploits of the Peninsular war. It is commonly called the Surprise of Amaraz. There are few instances, even in the history of those eventful and romantic campaigns, in which more occasion was given for developing those resources of mental energy, the possession of which enables a man to meet unforeseen emergencies with promptness, and to surmount obstacles and dangers by mingled skill and courage.

four days' march from Merida, the nearest place on which the British force sent against Almaraz could fall back for support. And in order to make it possible to attempt the destruction of the bridge and forts, and bring back the British force in safety, it was necessary to make various feigned movements of troops, so as to throw the French off their guard respecting the true object of attack, and to carry on every preparation for the expedition in the utmost secrecy to the last moment. It would otherwise have been in the power of the French to have so disposed of part of their nearest troops as to not only have frustrated the attempt upon the bridge, but greatly endangered the retreat of the British force to Merida.

Masses of the French troops occupied various districts of Spain, both to the north and to the south of the river Tagus. It was an equal object with the French, to preserve for themselves a good communication for the passage of an army across the river, and with the British to destroy it. Soult's pontoon equipage had been captured in April preceding, when Badajoz fell. The left, or south bank of the Tagus, all the way from Toledo down to the frontiers of Portugal, was either lined with mountains so rugged as to be impracticable for the passage of an army; or, at least, consisted of ground of so difficult a character, and intersected by roads so bad, as to be practically unavailable, with the exception of the road and bridge, which crossed the river at the town of Almaraz. Seeing the The destruction of the bridge and forts importance of preserving this passage, had for some time been an object of desire Marmont had laid down a boat-bridge at to Wellington, and when he thought a faAlmaraz, which was defended on the north vorable conjuncture had arrived, he wrote bank by a fort, called after himself, Fort- to Hill, suggesting that the blow might be Ragusa, and on the south bank by a forti-struck, and that fied head of masonry, or tête-de-pont, " one of your British brigades and two Portuflanked by a fort or redoubt, called Fortguese brigades, or one-and-a-half British and Napoleon. In Fort-Ragusa there was a one strong Portuguese brigade, would do your magazine containing many stores and pro- business as to the French in that neighborhood. visions. The fort was of great strength, * * * Make all your preparations in secret having a stone tower, loopholed for mus- for this expedition. I shall watch from hence ketry, twenty-five feet high within, and the course of the enemy's retreat, and will let flanked without by a field-work near the you know, if it should appear to me that you bridge. On the left or south bank, Fort-have any thing to fear from any of the divisions of the army of Portugal going near AlNapoleon was placed on a height a little maraz."-P. 189. in advance of the bridge; and it was also of great strength, containing within it a second interior defence, with a loopholed stone tower, a ditch, draw-bridge, and palisades. These forts and the tête-de-pont were armed with eighteen guns, and garrisoned by more than 1000 men, under the command of a brave officer.

But even these were not all the defences which were opposed to an assault from the south, from which quarter Hill's troops were to advance; because the royal road which, about five miles after leaving the river, crossed the rugged ridge of the Mirabete, was there defended by a line of works which the French had thrown across the pass. These works consisted of a large fortified house, connected by smaller posts with the old watch-tower of Mirabete, on which eight guns were mounted, and which was surrounded by a rampart twelve feet high. It was only along the road defended by these works, that artillery could be carried forward to the attack of Fort-Napoleon.

The position of Almaraz was distant

After some unavoidable delays, which increased the hazard of the undertaking, Hill set forward for Almaraz, taking the command of the force in person.

On drawing near the point of attack, a march by night and a surprise was at first intended; but, from the difficulty of the roads, the night passed before the attack could be made, and the intended surprise became impossible. On examining the strength of the tower and works across the Mirabete pass, Hill considered that it would cost too great a waste of life to attempt to force it, and therefore he anxiously explored the localities, in quest of any other pass by which his artillery might be carried forward to the bridge. Upwards of one whole precious day was thus occupied, but the search was fruitless. Other men-and able men too-might then have abandoned the undertaking in despair; but the genius of Hill rose with the crisis, and he took the daring resolution of leaving the artillery, with a part of the troops, behind, and proceeding

The

with infantry alone to storm works which point of the bayonet through the several were defended by eighteen pieces of artil- intrenchments of the fort, and pell-mell enlery and a strong garrison. Such a deci- tered the tête-de-pont with them. sion fully evinces the great importance which was attached to success in the object of the enterprise, as well as the consciousness that every hour of time which was passing overhead, while so far from the main body of the British army, was fraught with danger. The event proved that Hill had not over-rated the capabilities of the troops, led by himself.

French on the north bank of the Tagus cut the bridge, or, according to other accounts, the bridge was broken by some cannon shot, and many of the French soldiers, driven before the British assault, perished in the river.

As soon as Fort-Napoleon was taken, its guns were turned by the British on FortRagusa, and although the river Tagus now intervened between the French in that Fort and their assailants, yet such was the effect of the sudden surprise and attack that a panic seized the French on the north side of

On the evening of the 18th May, he marched with Major-General Howard's brigade, composed of the 50th, 71st, and 92d regiments, "by a goat's path" leading to the bridge. The party carried scaling the river, and they evacuated Fort-Ragusa, ladders, which they were obliged to cut in Two grenadiers, whose names deserve to halves, so as to thread the short narrow be recorded, James Gould and Walter Soturns in the precipitous descent, even at the merville, then plunged into the river, folrisk of thereby rendering them too short lowed by some of their comrades, and swam for afterwards scaling the fort. The march across. They brought back boats, by did not exceed five or six miles, yet the dif- means of which the river was passed, and ficulties of the road were such, that it was the destruction of Fort-Ragusa equally with not completed, and the column for attack Fort-Napoleon, was immediately completed. formed near the fort, before daylight. For- The whole apparatus of the bridge, and the tunately the nature of the ground was such, workshops, magazines, and everything that they were enabled to get close on FortNapoleon before being discovered. And at this time a false attack, which was made on the Mirabete tower by the troops which had been left near it, kept the French in Fort-Napoleon under the belief that the British were resolved to reduce that tower, and bring up their artillery along the royal road, before making any attempt on the fortifications at the bridge. But while their attention was eagerly strained towards the Mirabete tower, where the sound of firing was heard, and smoke was visible, of a sudden the war-cry of the storming party broke upon their ear, and the scaling ladders were almost in the same instant planted against the fort, on three of its sides.

which could be available to the enemy, were also demolished. Gould and Somerville, besides the applauses of their comrades, received each a purse of gold from their commander.

So very essential were Hill's promptness and celerity to his success, that a French battalion, as was afterwards learned, had actually been ordered forward to Almaraz, and was already at Naval Moral on the 18th of May. It might have entered FortRagusa early on the morning of the 19th; but instead of marching before day-break, it did not move till eleven o'clock, and meeting the fugitives from Fort-Ragusa on the road, it too caught the panic and returned. Hill brought back his troops to The French soldiers were brave and the main body of the army in safety. The bravely commanded. They immediately loss which had been sustained in the escaturned both musketry and artillery on their lade was small, when the difficulties of the assailants, and for a short time caused havoc attack are considered. And thus was among them. But this was soon over. The brought to a brilliant issue one of the boldscaling ladders, though too short to reach est enterprises even of that daring time. the top of the wall, were found long enough When General Hill was afterwards, at the to reach a beam in it, on which the soldiers close of the Peninsular War, elevated to could not only gain a footing for themselves, the peerage, it was not without cause that but pull up and plant their short ladders it was by the style of Baron Hill of Almaanew, and so surmount the wall. And with raz and of Hawkstone.

an irresistible ardor, pouring into Fort-Na- Our space will not permit us to trace poleon, and there making prisoner the with any minuteness the subsequent scenes French commander who was wounded, the of Sir Rowland Hill's important services British troops drove their opponents at the in the Peninsula. But an incident oc

curred, soon after the surprise of Al-frontiers of Spain, and drove them back maraz, which, although entirely want- within their own territory. ing its brilliancy and éclat, is perhaps

battles of that period, such as those of the Nivelle, Orthez, Aire, and Toulouse, Sir Rowland rendered important service to his country. But our limits will not admit of our dwelling upon these.

Of the battles which were joined near the as deserving of attention by those who frontiers of France and Spain, that of the would justly appreciate Sir Rowland's Nive, or St. Pierre, has been already character. He found himself in presence alluded to. In most of the other severe of a French force, not superior to his own, and commanded by Drouet. On this occasion it is well stated, by a competent judge, that "Hill, who had shown himself so daring at Arroyo Molino and Almaraz, now, with an uncommon mastery of ambi- On the abdication of Napoleon, Sir tion, refrained from an action which pro- Rowland returned to England, and receiv mised him unbounded fame, simply because ed from his countrymen of all ranks the he was uncertain whether the state of Lord grateful welcome which he so well merited. Wellington's operations in Castile, then in He was one of the five general officers who full progress, would warrant one. His were then elevated to the peerage. He recent exploits had been so splendid, that was presented with a sword by the city of a great battle gained at this time would, London, and also with the freedom of the with the assistance of envious malice, have city. On his way to his family at Hawkplaced his reputation on a level with Wel-stone, he was presented with a sword by lington's. Yet he was habituated to com- the town of Birmingham. On reaching mand, and his adversary's talents were Shrewsbury, the town and county united in moderate; his forbearance must therefore his enthusiastic reception, and at the dinner be taken as a proof of the purest patriot- in the Guildhall his venerable father had ism."* the pride of sharing with Lord Hill in the honors of the day.

It was characteristic of our country, and one of the pleasing results of its free insti- On one of these festive occasions, an tutions, that in this year Sir Rowland incident occurred, characteristic of the Hill was elected member of Parliament for amiable and affectionate dispositions of Shrewsbury. This news gave him high Lord Hill. He accompanied his friend satisfaction, and reached him, at a period Lord Combermere on his entry into Chesof great anxiety to Lord Wellington and ter, where he himself received a greeting himself, when they were respectively fall- all the more cordial from his having spent ing back from Burgos and Madrid, upon some of his earlier years at a Chester Salamanca, closely followed, in their retreat, school. As he passed along the streets of by a greatly superior force. It was after the city in a triumphal procession, it was this movement was over, that Lord Wel- observed that his eye singled out among lington congratulated himself, in terms the applauding throng, one on whom he which have become celebrated, on having "got clear in a handsome manner of the worst scrape he ever was in."

The great battle of Vittoria followed, in the perils and honors of which Hill's troops, composing the right of the British army, had a full share.

In the subsequent hard fighting, by which the French were at length driven across the Pyrenees, and within the confines of their own country, Sir Rowland had a conspicuous part; and Mr. Sidney observes, that as Sir Rowland, when in Egypt, at the head of the 90th regiment, gave the French the first check they had there received, so it was the force under his command which first forced them over the

* NAPIER'S Peninsular War, vol. v., p. 63.

bestowed the kindest recognition. It was Mrs. Winfield, the wife of his former tutor, whom he thus distinguished. He had never forgotten her kindness to him when a boy, and both at this time and afterwards he took care to evince the enduring nature of his regard.

An interesting account is given by Mr. Sidney, derived from Lord Hill himself, of the manner in which he was despatched to Belgium after Napoleon's escape from Elba. He had taken his sister, Miss Emma Hill, to visit London in the spring of 1815, little expecting what was there to await him. We quote what follows from his own account, given to Mr. Sidney in 1842 :—

"I will tell you something that few persons know. When Bonaparte came back from Elba, I was in London. One day I was sent for suddenly to the Cabinet. They told