Twelve Months in the British Legion

PREFACE.

It was the author's habit during his absence in Spain, to write home accounts every week or fortnight of anything new and striking that fell under his observation in the course of his wanderings. On his return to England, the idea occurred to him of re-writing these notes, so that without omitting any of the first impressions as rapidly delineated in the intervals of repose from duty, they should be worked up into a continuous narrative, not so much of the events of the campaign as of his personal adventures during that period. It would have been useless for him to attempt to give a military history of the proceedings of the British Legion, and to confine himself solely to the details of manoeuvres and actions,

-such a task was less fitted to one who filled a subordinate situation in the service, and whose opportunities of gaining information on military movements were but few, than to many other officers of superior rank and experience, who as commanders of battalions and brigades were necessarily conversant with the projects of the Lieutenant-General. He thought, therefore, that to give a personal account of what he himself saw, and did, and felt, with as much of military tactics as came within the scope of his intelligence and observation at the time, would prove more interesting to the reader, and perhaps give a better idea of the nature of the service, than a history in imitation of that style of which Cæsar is the founder and Napier a disciple.

Since the following pages were written, events of much importance have taken place in the Peninsula. The Constitution of 1812 has been proclaimed, and Cordova compelled

by sudden flight to save himself from the consequences of his treachery. Now that Spain enjoys a free and constitutional government, and that her armies are no longer held in bondage by the artifices of a traitorous chief, we may be permitted to hope that in native swords and native ranks will be found the zeal and courage to trample down the rebellion of bigotry and priestcraft.

In conclusion, it may be observed of the work now presented to the reader, that it has been the author's aim throughout to write a faithful statement of events as they took place, and to give an unvarnished description of all that met his eye or struck his fancy during the twelve months that it was his good fortune to see service in the British Legion. A few circumstances contained in the original journal have been omitted, and several others abridged; but the spirit of the whole, it is hoped, has been preserved, and the maxim of Cervantes

seldom if ever lost sight of

de las cosas, aunque sean

"La abundancia

buenas, hace que

no se estimen; y la carestia, aun de las malas, se estima en algo."

CONTENTS.

CHAP. I.-Arrival at San Sebastian.-Good Reception of the Inhabitants.

-Spanish Flea.-Effects of Bounty-Money.-Removal to the Convent of

San Francisco.-Paseo.-Alguaziles.-Chapelgorris.-General Jauregui

or El Pastor.-Spanish Family.-Tertulia.-Plaza Nueva of San Sebastian.

-Description of the Convent.-Basques.-Dress of the Peasantry.-

Dinner to the Officers of the 1st Regiment.-Ball to the Inhabitants.-