Page Number | Note/Query | Explanation |
|
70 - | the piled arms at alarm posts | "When a regiment arrives at its ground for the night it is
formed in columns of companies , at full, half or quarter distance, according to the space which circumstances will
permit it to occupy. After the officer commanding each company then receives his orders, and after communicating
whatever may be necessary to the men, he desires them to 'pile arms, and make themselves comfortable for the night.' The soldiers of each company have a hereditary claim to the ground next to their arms, as have their officers to a wider range on the same line, limited to the end of a bugle sound, if not by a neighbouring corps, or one that is not neighbourly for the nearer a man is to his enemy, the nearer he likes to be to his friends." Sir John Kincaid pg 22 - Adventures in the Rifle Brigade.
|
|
70 - | 16th of June 1812 | 5 miles from Salamanca. Battle on July 22nd that year. There had been token resistance from forts garrisoned by Marmont.
|
|
73 - | Wellington was not universally popular | his enemies in Britain were waiting for his defeat.
|
|
74 - | 'You insufferable sweeps! | The Rifles, from the dark colour of their uniforms, and the total absence of all Ornament, had gained the nick-name of'sweeps. (From Costello)
|
|
75 - | Guards | gentlemen's son's. A guards regiment is an elite regiment, usually formed from the protection of the royal family. Wellington had particular trouble with senior officers who came out to join the army with recommendations from the Prince of Wales or cronies of his at the Horse Guards. He found many of these men arrogant and incompetent. At one stage as Wellington reflected on his list of generals he said that he hoped the French trembled as he did when he read the list. ( See Christopher Hibbert, 'Wellington' page 97-98)
The rest of the regiments of the army are known as regiments of the line and bear a number reflecting their place in the line. The 95th Regiment were pulled out of the 'line' after Waterloo and renamed the Rifle Brigade in recognition of their incredible service. see The Army
|
|
76 - | Madre de dios ninguno manera | mother of god, by no means at all - (it
should be spelled: Madre de Dios, de ninguna manera)
|
|
76 - | nada me duele | nothing hurts/pains/ache me / I feel no pain
|
|
76- | sacre boeuftake | I think this one is a poke at the English! It should be "sacre boeuftek" or "sacre bifstek" meaning "holy beef steak!"
|
|
77 - | sacre pommes de terre | literally, holy potatoes!
|
|
79 - | Sobre todo | overall (?) sobretodo is an overcoat
|
|
79 - | si si, adelante | yes yes, onwards
|
|
84 | Regular Talavera march this. | Describes the March the Light Dvision had to cover when Craufurd heard that there was
a battle, they marched 42 miles in 26 hours to reach Talavera in time. When marching in this way Craufurd would have his men walk three
steps then run three steps.
|
|
85 - | que fastido | how tedious - (also: how annoying)
|
|
85 - | queridísima amiga | dearest friend
|
|
85 - | muy cansada | I'm very tired
|
|
85 - | de ningun modo | in no way
|
|
87 - | tanto mejor | so much the better
|
|
87 - | en efecto | in effect
|
|
88 - | al contrario | on the contrary
|
|
88- | jamas | never
|
|
88 - | muchas gracias | Thank you, many thanks
|
|
88 - | in for a regular Tam o'shanter tonight | rain - For some reason it always rained before Wellington's battles.
The night before Salamanca there was a huge downpour. Lightening stampeded some of the horses and Mrs Dalbiac (who is mentioned later
in the chapter) narrowly avoided being trampled by them as her husband dragged her under of the guns to escape. As it was there
were a eighteen men injured in Le Marchants cavalry brigade and 31 horses lost.
A tam o'shanter of course is a Scottish hat to keep out the rain.
|
|
89 - | Wish I'd sent you across with the 'Pioneers' | The Pioneer's were the men of Lt General Sir James Leith's fifth Division. It seems
that all the divisions had nicknames, the men of the first Division (under Stewart) were known as "the Gentlemen's Sons", no doubt because there
a number of guards regiments in there.
|
|
89 - | vamos - | we go (also: let's go)
|
|
89 - | muy bien | very good
|
|
90 - | Le Marchant's Dragoons | 5th Dragoon Guards and 3rd Dragoons (now Hussars, but then Heavy Cavalry) there is a
description of the clash of cavalry on the page devoted to the 7th Hussars . Le Marchant
was killed at Salamanca.
|
|
90 - | QMG | Quarter master general
|
|
90 - | A decir verdad | to tell the truth
|
|
91 - | seguramente | for sure, with certainty
|
|
91 - | Marmeluke trained - | Marmelukes were the famous Eyptian cavalrymen who
supposedly owed their allegiance to the ruler in Constatinople but who
had managed to achieve more or less independent control of the area.
(which meant that they no longer sent the taxes they collected to the
sultan but kept them all for themselves.)
Thanks to Jean Mason for Providing this information.
|
|
91 - | caracole | Prance or wheel about - basically showing off the training
|
|
93 - | Alava | Spanish aide de camp at Wellington's headquarters, Miguel de Alava Y Esquivel
|
|
93 - | Mais que fait-il? Que fait Marmont la-bas?" | But what is he doing? What is Marmont doing down there?
|
|
93 - | Mon cher Alva, Marmont est perdu. | My Dear Alva, Marmont is Lost.
|
|
95 - | posada | Lodgings
|
|
97 - | "An eagle had been captured" | Like the Romans the French had eagles with the regiment numbers on them. The 'Eagle' was what the flag was mounted on, but instead of carrying their regimental colours into battle, they would take their flag off and carry the 'eagle' into battle.
|
|
96 - | Mrs Dalbiac | Susanna Dalbiac was one of the intrepid wives who followed the drum with their husbands and didn't
choose to travel in the baggage train. This is taken from a Letter by her husband, Lieutenant-colonel James Dalbiac, to Sir William
Napier, 24 August 1833:
"Refined, slight and delicate, she had nevertheless been all day within cannon range and shots from the enemy's guns
frequently pushed up the dust at her feet."
You will be pleased to know that her husband was well and still in the saddle, unscathed. She was unfortunate enough however
to come across the body of her cousin, Lieutenant Norcliffe.
|