Page Number | Note/Query | Explanation |
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134 - | The light and the cavalry placed out in front for winter quarters | For skirmishing and intelligence
gathering the light division had been established to undertake just these duties, but it also meant they spent much more of their
time exposed to the French.
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134 - | Fuentes d'Onoro | The Battle they refers to 3 - 6 May 1811. Massena (who was still commanding the Army of Portugal at
this time) had had to retreat out of Portugal starting in March - essentially they had starved over winter as Wellington sheltered
well stocked behind the lines of Torres Vedras round Lisbon. Fuentes d'Onoro is up near the border with Spain and Cuidad Rodrigo
and it is here that Massena decided to stage a battle to avenge the humiliation of retreat. It was the longest battle of the Peninsular
War. The Light Division, led by Craufurd, undertook at least one exceptionally heroic action where they covered the retreat of another
division.
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135 - | Bark wine the doctors make them swallow | The bark of various species of the Cinchona tree, from
which quinine is procured, formerly ground into powder and taken to reduce fevers. The Cinchona Tree was from Peru -
from the genus Cinchon. (An amended entry based on notes from Mark Pottenger)
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135 - | 5,000 men missing in the army | that is 5 battalions of men out of an army of around 60,000. Given that
the 95th had 5 fully battalions they had only 96 absent it is an incredible feat.
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135 - | A Memorandum to Officers commanding Divisions and Brigades | Possibly suffering from disappointment of not
conquering Burgos and having to retreat, coupled with the appalling behaviour of the men during the retreat (in all retreats spirits plunged
and the worst sorts of behaviour emerged) Wellington released this document. It was universally resented by the army and a copy of
it made its way to Britain where it was printed in a 'rascally London Newspaper'.
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136 - | Torquemada | The incident referred to is in William Wheelers biography. During the retreat 1,000 men got so
hopelessly drunk in Torquemada that they had to fall out of column. Considering the French were pushing at them the whole time it
was reckless and stupid. Wellington commented that he only thought men enlisted in the army to drink.
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137 - | snipe | birds characterized by a long straight bill and frequenting
marshy places - a type of game bird.
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138 - | Provost Marshal | Has police functions over the army.
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139 - | Sir Roger de Coverly | A dance - also called Haymakers.
In America it's known as the Virginia Reel, (Stockyards in Australia)
though minor variations were made. The dance was extremely popular and
was often the last dance of the evening. Sir Roger de C. was originally
a nom de plume of a cavalier of the civil war period in England. (thanks to Annie Dunn)
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139 - | Dried Newfoundland Ling | a kind of fish.
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141 - | It was all Lombards Street to an Eggshell | Also Lombard Street to a ninepence, and to a Bummagem sixpence, a China orange - The longest possible odds - meant to reflect the wealth of the street to something pitiful.
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141 - | quire - | 24, sometimes 25, sheets of writing paper.
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141 - | folio- | (OED) "a flat writing paper, usually 17 by 22 inches."
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141 - | Ah, quel plaisir d'etre soldat | Ah, What pleasure it is to be a soldier.
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142 - | Reminiscent of Mrs Radcliffe's tales | turgid Gothics including the Mystery of Udolpho
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142 - | give up their favourite game of playing nine holes because it was too cold | It is a type of
bowls game using wooden balls (From Costello) Who relates the sad story of one soldier using what he thought was an empty shell
to bowl with, however, he found out to his surprise that it was live when a spark from his pipe dropped into it as he was lining it
up to bowl, his surprise was short lived as he didn't survive.
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142 - | Joe Simmons proudly shows off a pair of Rifle wings | Epaulettes. Joe, George Simmons had
come out to the Peninsular as a volunteer (one of four in his particular battalion). That means he would not have earned his
Epaulettes but would have worn only a white leather cross strapping over his uniform. Otherwise the uniform was identical to other
Rifle Men.
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145 - | Malvada | Shameless - villanous
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145 - | instantaneamente | instantly
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146 - | mi muchacha | my girl
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147 - | Ramera | Whore
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151 - | Murray back | as Quartermaster General
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152 - | Guerilla Chief Longa - |
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153 - | Eight thousand sabres (cavalry) 60 thousand Bayonets - (infantry) with artillery, engineers, staff corps | 81,000 total (with 6 women per hundred another 5,000 women perhaps more, along with goat herds, horses etc)
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156 - | Blurry 'yde park soldiers | Blurry (Bloody) Household Cavalry - Implies they were for display purposes
only - troops reviewed by royalty in Hyde Park - Household Cavalry are an elite regiment for the Kings protection.
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156 - | much bran little meal - | a lot of fluff, little substance
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160 - | Muy agradable | very agreeable
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160 - | Eso no es de consecuencia | That is of no consequence
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