50th Regiment of Foot in quotes and things of interest

1812; It's just a wild pig and we are hungry. Let those who know how to cook, cook, and those who know to hunt, shoot their lunch. The retreat of Salamanca and one of its stops, in what was a more prosperous region, even if on its march the making of fire was harder due to the drenching of said wood with rain:

Quote: " [...]  while camping out among the oak trees, numerous droves of wild pigs ran to and fro, as we invaded their dominions and in their flight many were fired at and shot by the famished soldiers, who were ignorant, when committing the depredation, of  its being a crime which would cause the displeasure of our Chief. Some Were performing the achievement of hunting down the grunters, while others displayed their skill in the culinary art after the chase was over."

They continued on their journey to Robledo, where they arrived on the 18th, before which the French did not choose to fight. As they stopped in the village they were again faced with small luxury of a roof above their heads - perfect for the rainy season -. This however did not protect them from the pest, which Patterson may call nible footed gentry, but is of course of a less desirable kind, not sparing even the officers. On the 30th November they enter the town of Coria, of which the surrounding area was said to have been well planted with olive and vine. The best wine, as Patterson suggests, they call the "Priests' wine", and is quite possibly of the same origin, made by the man of faith. This stands true for all of Spain.  In Coria Colonel Stewart succumbs to exhaustion, caused by previous campaigns. The 50th leave Coria on 7th of January 1813. They stop at Monte Hermosa, where Patterson takes another of his trips to see the land, and after his return, with days to spare they again move on.

Upon their arrival at Bejar, the men remained at constant alert, as the French under Foy, were in the neighbourhood:

Quote: "The whole regiment, with the exception of the lame and lazy, was planted at their alarm post one hour before daylight and at the rendezvous did they remain in awful stillness hardly wide awake, patiently, to the moment of dismissal, which usually came when the first glimmering of dawn was seen the horizon, or when a white horse was within a mile."

When the French found out that it was merely one regiment (the 50th) in the town of Bejar, their plans to ransack the place and collect its provisions were renewed. This happened at one such time that the men were gathered at the ball and news of the rapid approach of the French was delivered, calling all to arms and to the walls. The picket of the 50th was attacked by the light infantry of the French, under the command of General Foy. The French press on. The attack is in time, successfully deflected by the defenders, the 50th regiment of foot. The French retreat and the town is saved. On 17th of April, 1813 however the 50th must depart again.

At Vittoria the commissary was nowhere to be found, leaving the 50th on a few loafs of dingy bread. This would encourage the men to search through the first haversack they could find, of a man most probably dead and in no need of the food he had carried.

Later in the campaign a rather amusing scene presented itself when mules had gotten terrified by the great storm. It appears we are to be wary of animals such as those of four legs and a knack to tangle themselves in places they ought not. Or perhaps they ought to be tied down better when there is a storm and kept under watch so that they do not entertain thoughts of being up to no good.

Quote: "In middle of one of the dark nights, during our station on the hill, a dreadful storm came on, upsetting huts, wigwams and all the paraphernalia of our camp. During the commotion the mules and other baggage animals, terrified by the howling of the wind, broke loose their moorings, took flight in every direction and getting entangled among the tent cords they cast us all adrift. Bewildered,amidst the gloom and dreaming of war's alarms, it seemed as though the French were in among us, or that a caravan of wild beasts was set at liberty. Such bellowing, screams and shouting from right to left at once resounded throughout the hill, that the storm was quiet in comparison. Drums and bugles giving the alarm, accompanied by the braying of a hundred jack-asses, with the clamorous tongues of men, women and dogs, combined to produce an opera, or rather, a tragi-comedy of so ludicrous a nature as was never witnessed on the Pyrenees before. In a state of demi-nudity, ( finding that no tangible enemy was in the field ) each returned to the wreck of his shattered dormitory, where, endeavouring to crouch beneath the well drenched canvass or the more wretched shelter of the trees, we lay in torpid misery, waiting patiently the return of day ."