Page Number | Note/Query | Explanation |
|
262 - | tigers | why are all visitors to headquarters called Tigers?
|
|
263 - | Chest Wounds | if no artery or vital organ were hit then they could be healed - a stomach wound invariably meant death - and there was nothing to be done. Limbs were taken off as a matter of course if injured - as the risk of infection was too great with gangrene setting in quickly
|
|
263 - | George Simmons superintends the Light Division telegraph | Not phone lines in the conventional view -
communications generally - it brought extra money for him and the family
he had to support. The word was applied to what we would now call semaphores
in 1792 and for several years following.
|
|
264 - | Sir John Hope | No bio as yet
|
|
266 - | St Anthony pigs (tantony pigs) | often said 'Tantony Pig' someone who will follow anyone.
|
|
267 - | Lord March | Charles Lennox, Lord March later the 5th Duke of Richmond and Lennox. One of Wellington's favourite members of staff. When he heard March was wounded he rode to see him, despite having just been injured in the chest by a spent ball.
March
|
|
267 - | Napier brothers - | George and William - William was later to write the History of the Peninsular War - an early definitive and still highly respected work on the Peninsular war.
Napier
|
|
268 - | The cacadores would be mixed in with other regiments | To strengthen the Portuguese who were prone to retreat
at the slightest provocation.
|
|
272 - | Que absurdidad | What an absurdity - how absurd.
This from Constanza Galarza Seeber:
"I thought at first that that was a mistake on GH's part (the usual form is
¡qué absurdo!), but I looked it up in the "Diccionario de Autoridades
(1726-1739) and found out the word really exists (or at least existed)
though the entry specifies that it is "old fashioned" and "rarely used". I
guess that it would have been even more old fashioned and more
rarely used almost one hundred years afterwards."
|
|
274 - | Fuera | except/besides
|
|
274 - | Un caso de necesidad | it is a necessity (a case of necessity)
|
|
274 - | de ningun modo | (Not the fashion at all) In no way, no way.
|
|
274 - | A voluntad | a volunteer - will (in the sense of having a will of his own, or it is my will that...)
|
|
276 - | The Maid of Saragossa | Byron wrote about her in Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, she was immortalised in paint by Goya and her exploits epitomised the Spanish resistance to the French. During the siege of Saragossa Agostina/Manuela Sanchez joined the cannon crew after her fiance was killed.
|
|
277 - | Panella | Portuguese for a pot (in Edward Costello although he spelled it 'panello')
|
|
278 - | Lord Charles Spencer | Nephew to Sir William Carr Beresford. John Charles Spencer - born 1782 -
nephew to the Duchess of Devonshire, Charles was later the third Earl Spencer. From Costello - describes the retreat from
Madrid in 1812 and in wet and cold.
"Lord Charles Spencer, them a youth about eighteen years of age,
He suffered dreadfully from the Hunger and fatigue of this retreat; trembling with cold and weakness, he stood
perched upon some branches, that had been cut down for fuel, the tears silently starting from his eyes through the
pain he experienced, while thus sharing in the common lot, anxiously watching a few acorns, which to stay the pangs
of hunger he had placed in the embers to roast. I dare say his Lordship had never known till then the joys of poverty -
a good appetite! Nor will he, I expect, forget how willingly the rough soldiers flew to offer him biscuits, which their
own sufferings could not withhold from one so tenderly and delicately reared; but his Lordship was very much liked amongst
us, and, no doubt, it did many a veteran's heart good to hear his thanks, and see the eagerness with which he devoured the
offering. These are times when Lords find that they are men-and men, that they are comrades."
|
|
281 - | If the mother had never been in the oven she would not have looked for her daughter there. | (Partridge) "proverb, he (or she) that has been in the
oven [as a hiding place] knows where to look for son, daughter, etc." and
"in the same oven, in the same plight" (IOW: like mother, like daughter) (thanks to Mark Pottenger for this)
|
|
281 - | Sous-prefet | subprefect, under-sheriff.
|
|
284 - | The battle of Toulouse | fought days after Napoleon had abdicated - See Peninsula
|
|
285 - | Old Douro - | Wellington - after his title, Marquis of Douro.
|
|
287 - | At Five Colonel Ponsonby rode in | Frederick Ponsonby - Lady Caroline Lamb's brother, he was later badly wounded at Waterloo.
|
|
288 - | Monte Video | the ill fated trip to South America see chapters 1 and 2 of Harry's Autobiography
|
|
289 - | en nombre de dios | in the name of god
|
|
290 - | AG's Office | Adjutant General's office There were two administration departments - Adjutant General and Quartermaster General . The Quartermaster General controlled marches, quarters, conveying troops. The Adjutant General controlled equipment and discipline. The duties of the two departments overlapped. On the Peninsula the Quartermaster General's Department became the most dominant because Wellington preferred/trusted George Murray more than he did William Stewart who was the Adjutant General. see Army Structure
also see
Murray
|
|
292 - | He's True Blue - | He'll never stain
|
|
294 - | Admiral Malcolm | No biogaphy as yet
|
|
295 - | General Ross | whom he is going to America with - No biograhy as yet
|
|
296 - | we know what you sweep's are' | See page 121 for explanation of sweeps
|