Documenta: The Battalion of Caçadores n.º 8 in the Battle of Vitoria

Moisés Gaudêncio

In the battle of Vitoria, the Portuguese Caçadores battalions were committed very intensely over the course of the day, always fighting in the vanguard of the allied columns. Seasoned by the campaigns of the previous three years, they showed great discipline and combat effectiveness, asserting themselves as the Portuguese units most respected by friends and feared by the enemy.

(Soldier from the 6th Caçadores, by Ribeiro Arthur)

We highlight the 8th Caçadores Battalion, one which suffered the most casualties in the battle of June 21, 1813, and that earned the public commendation of lord Wellington, allied commander in chief, in the dispatches he sent to the Portuguese and British governments.[1]

In Vitoria, the 8th Caçadores was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Dudley St. Leger Hill, and was part of the Portuguese brigade commanded by brigadier William Spry, aggregate to the allied 5th Division, of General Oswald. This division was part of the allied corps which Wellington had detached to attack the right wing of the French line, backed in the Zamorra river, and to cut the road that connected Vitoria to France, the main line of retreat for the French. This corps, which formed the left wing of the allied army, was under the command of general sir Thomas Graham and was constituted by the two Portuguese independent brigades, the 1st and 5th divisions, Longa’s Spanish division and British artillery and cavalry.

To contextualize the action of the battalion we present an excerpt from the report sent by general Graham to Wellington after the battle:

«The enemy had a division of infantry, with some cavalry advanced on the great road, resting their right on some strong heights covering the village of Gamarra Maior. Both Gamarra and Abechuco, on the great road, were strongly occupied as têtes du pont to the bridges at these places over the Zadorra. Major-General Pack with his brigade of Portuguese infantry, and Colonel Longa with his Spanish corps, were directed to turn and gain these heights, supported by Major-General Anson’s brigade of Light Dragoons, and the 5th division of infantry, commanded by Major-General Oswald, who was requested to take charge of all these troops.

In the execution of this service the Portuguese and Spanish troops behaved admirably. The 4th battalion of Caçadores of General Pack’s brigade, and the 8th Caçadores of the 5th division, particularly distinguished themselves.»

(Bridge over the river Zadorra in Gamarra Mayor; early XX century photograph taken from here.)

We leave to lieutenant colonel Dudley St. Leger Hill the more detailed description of the action of his caçadores, in the report he sent to brigadier Spry, from the original in the Arquivo Histórico Militar, 1ª Divisão, 14ª Secção, Caixa nº 243, 18, ms 6 to 8.

Document: Report by lieutenant colonel Dudley St. Leger Hill to brigadier William Spry

June 22nd 1813

Sir

Being detached from your brigade in the action of yesterday I have the honor to report to you for the information of his Excellency Marshall Sir William Beresford that I was ordered by major general Oswald to place the 8th Caçadores under the imediate direction of Brigadier General Pack and in conjunction with the 4^th Caçadores drive the enemy of the heights they occupied in front of the left column of the Army. This order was carried in to execution with the greatest promptitude and I cannot say sufficient in praise of the gallantry and forwardness of my men and officers. The heights we had to ascend were difficult of access and the fire of the enemy was very heavy yet did we succeed in driving the enemy from the different hills they successively occupy and obliged them to retire beyond the river [Zadorra].

The conduct of the battalion in pursuing the enemy afterwards on their retreat was no less conspicuous, having advanced in front of the various lines of columns of the army in conjunction with the 4^th Caçadores driving before them the enemy numerous light troops of infantry and cavalry. As general Pack will of course make a report to his Excellency on the conduct of the troops engaged under his command I beg you will refer his Excellency to his Report and that you will have the goodness to mention in yours, your opinion of the conduct of the battalion in the first part of the engagement could not have escaped your observation.

The officers of the battalion behaved with the greatest gallantry and to recommend those who distinguished themselves would be to ?  the whole. I have however to beg you will report to his Excellency the extreme brave and gallant conduct of the sergeant major of the battalion who in all occasions during the day distinguished  himself by heading the advance of every company and exhibited the greatest coolness and judicious  arrangements in placing those intrusted to his command. The name of the sergeant major is Domingos Lopes, who has before been recommended for good conduct.

I have the honor to be sir your obeying servant

Dudley Hill Lieut- Colonel 8 Caçadores

Note 1: It is possible to consult the map of the battle of Vitoria in the website Napoleon Series.

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[1] The Dispatches of Field Marshall The Duke of Wellington (…) Volume The Tenth, 1838, p. 449.

[2] Supplementary Despatches, Correspondence and Memoranda of Fiel Marshall Arthur Duke of Wellington (…) Volume The Eight. 1861, p. 7.

(Jorge Quinta-Nova, translation)

Original Portuguese text in url

Documenta: O Batalhão de Caçadores nº 8 na Batalha de Vitoria

Na batalha de Vitoria os batalhões de caçadores portugueses foram empenhados de forma intensa ao longo do dia, combatendo sempre na vanguarda das colunas aliadas. Temperados nas campanhas dos três anos anteriores, exibiram grande disciplina e eficácia em combate, afirmando-se como as unidades portuguesas mais respeitadas pelos amigos e mais temidas pelo inimigo.

(Soldado de Caçadores nº 6, 1811, por Ribeiro Arthur)

Destacamos o batalhão de caçadores nº 8, um dos que maiores perdas sofreu na batalha de 21 de Junho de 1813, e que mereceu o louvor público de lord Wellington, comandante em chefe aliado, nos despachos que enviou para os governos português e britânico.[1]

Em Vitoria, o batalhão de caçadores nº 8 foi comandado pelo tenente-coronel Dudley St. Leger Hill, e fazia parte da brigada portuguesa comandada pelo brigadeiro William Spry, agregada à 5ª divisão aliada, do general Oswald. Esta divisão fazia parte do corpo aliado que Wellington tinha destacado para atacar a ala direita do dispositivo francês, apoiada no rio Zadorra, e cortar a estrada que ligava Vitoria a França, a principal linha de retirada francesa. Este corpo, que constituía a ala esquerda do exército aliado, estava sob o comando do general sir Thomas Graham e era formada pelas duas brigadas portuguesas independentes, a 1ª e a 5ª divisões, a divisão espanhola de Longa e artilharia e cavalaria britânicas.

Para contextualizar a ação do batalhão apresentamos a tradução de um excerto do relatório enviado pelo general Graham a Wellington depois da batalha:

«O inimigo tinha uma divisão de infantaria, com alguma cavalaria avançada, disposta sobre a estrada principal, apoiando a direita sobre umas alturas de difícil acesso, cobrindo a povoação de Gamarra Maior. Tanto Gamarra como Abechuco, esta na estrada principal, estavam fortemente ocupadas pelo inimigo como testas-de-ponte para as pontes que nelas atravessam o Zadorra. Foi ordenado ao General Pack, com a sua brigada de infantaria portuguesa e ao coronel Longa com o seu corpo espanhol, que flanqueassem e ocupassem aquelas alturas, apoiados pela brigada de dragões ligeiros do General Anson e pela 5ª divisão comandada pelo General Oswald, ao qual foi atribuído o comando geral sobre todas estas tropas. Na execução deste serviço as tropas portuguesas e espanholas comportaram-se admiravelmente. O 4º batalhão de Caçadores da  brigada do general Pack e o 8º de Caçadores da 5ª divisão distinguiram-se particularmente.»[2]

(Ponte sobre o Rio Zadorra em Gamarra Mayor; fotografia do inicio do século XX. Retirada daqui.)

Deixamos ao tenente-coronel Dudley St. Leger Hill a descrição mais detalhada da ação dos seus caçadores, que consta no relatório que enviou ao brigadeiro Spry e que traduzi-mos a partir do original conservado no Arquivo Histórico Militar, 1ª Divisão, 14ª Secção, Caixa nº 243, 18, ms 6 a 8.

Documento: Tradução do relatório do tenente-coronel Dudley St. Leger Hill para o Brigadeiro William Spry

Para o brigadeiro-general Spry

22 de Junho de 1813

Senhor

Tendo sido destacado da sua brigada durante a ação de ontem tenho a honra de lhe comunicar, para informação de sua Excelência o Marechal Sir William Beresford, que recebi ordem do major-general Oswald para colocar o 8º de Caçadores sob o comando imediato do brigadeiro-general Pack e, em combinação com o 4º de Caçadores, expulsar o inimigo das alturas por ele ocupadas na frente da coluna da esquerda do Exército.

Esta ordem foi executada com a maior prontidão e eu não posso dizer o suficiente em louvor da galhardia e desenvoltura dos meus soldados e oficiais. As alturas a que tivemos de ascender eram de difícil acesso e o fogo do inimigo bastante intenso mas mesmo assim nós conseguimos ir expulsando o inimigo das várias colinas que ele foi ocupando sucessivamente e obrigando-o a retirar para lá do rio [Zadorra].

O comportamento do batalhão na subsequente perseguição feita ao inimigo após a retirada referida foi também digno de nota, tendo avançado na vanguarda das várias linhas de colunas do Exército em combinação com o 4º de Caçadores empurrando à sua frente as numerosas tropas ligeiras inimigas de infantaria e de cavalaria.

Como o general Pack irá certamente informar sua Excelência [Beresford] sobre a conduta das tropas empregues sob o seu comando peço-lhe que chame a atenção a sua Excelência [Beresford] para o relatório do general e também que no seu tenha a bondade de mencionar a sua opinião sobre o comportamento do batalhão no inicio da ação, o qual não deve ter escapado à sua observação.

Os oficiais do batalhão comportaram-se com grande bravura e recomendar aqueles que se distinguiram seria injusto para todos. Tenho, no entanto, de lhe pedir que informe sua Excelência da brava e destemida conduta do sargento-ajudante do batalhão, o qual, em várias ocasiões durante o dia se distinguiu, dirigindo o avanço das companhias exibindo grande sangue frio e procedendo de forma judiciosa na colocação dos soldados que lhe foram confiados. O nome do sargento-ajudante é Domingos Lopes e já tinha sido recomendado anteriormente pela sua boa conduta.

Tenho a honra de ser o seu mais obediente criado

Dudley Hill Tenente-Coronel 8º Caçadores

Nota 1: No site Napoleon Series é possível consultar um mapa da batalha de Vitoria.

Nota 2: As traduções são de Moisés Gaudêncio.

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[1] The Dispatches of Field Marshall The Duke of Wellington (…) Volume The Tenth, 1838, p. 449.

[2] Supplementary Despatches, Correspondence and Memoranda of Fiel Marshall Arthur Duke of Wellington (…) Volume The Eight. 1861, p. 7.

Voices from Vitoria: José Jorge Loureiro

José Jorge Loureiro, a Portuguese officer in the battle of Vitoria

Moisés Gaudêncio

«All were maneuvers and skirmishers»

In the campaign which started in May 1813, and which would lead the Anglo-Portuguese army to the borders of France, José Jorge Loureiro was an alferes (ensign) of the Infantry Regiment n.º 4 and aid de camp to the British brigadier, on the service of Portugal, Archibald Campbell, and it was as such that he was present in the decisive battle of Vitoria, fought in June 21, 1813.

Brigadier Campbell commanded the Portuguese brigade made up of the Infantry Regiments n.º 4 and 10 and by the Caçadores Battalion n.º 10, part of the Portuguese Division commanded by General Francisco da Silveira, Count of Amarante.

The Portuguese Division was part of the corps commanded by general Rowland Hill, which constituted the right wing of the allied army.
Campbell’s brigade stood throughout the battle in reserve in the right wing of the allied line.

During this period of his life, Loureiro kept correspondence with his brother-in-law and friend Ernesto Biester, and it’s precisely in one of those letters that Loureiro gives his account of the events of Vitoria. It was originally published by Mendes Leal Junior in the Revista Contemporânea de Portugal e Brazil, segundo ano, april 1860, I, Lisboa, p. 100 ff.

We transcribe, with modern orthography, this rare eyewitness testimony of a Portuguese officer.

Field next to Salvaterra, June 23, 1813

Dear Ernesto

I hurry in reporting to you the events of the 21st instant, the most glorious day that until now the allied armies have had. As you should want to know what happened, I will tell you what I have witnessed, and what I have heard after.

On the 21st all the army advanced from the banks of the Bayas in different columns on Vitoria. General Hill’s corps was the right of all the army, and as it had less to march, it was the first to encounter the left of the enemy, which was on a mountain, and made an oblique line with the right covering Vitoria. On other mountains, next to the royal road of Bayonne the whole enemy army was in position. It had, to the front of its left, dense woods, which it wanted to dispute with the caçadores. As soon as we arrived, the attack began with an English brigade, and my division as reserve. The other brigades slowly climbed a steep mountain in order to flank the enemy.

As the rest of the army hadn’t yet arrived to the established points, our attack was much delayed and a demonstration. The French, with courage and success, defended the woods only with skirmishers, supported by some artillery on the road, which did us no damage. The attack went on like this for two hours, until General Graham, having flanked the enemy on our left, began also his own attack. Then the general action came about. The French, who expected the full attack on their left, seeing themselves flanked, began retreating their right in much confusion.

At this time, our right had already advanced too much on the mountain, and the enemy seeing their left almost being equally flanked, began also with much hast and confusion their own retreat. My brigade, who protected the English brigade who made the attack, marched in reach of the French, as did all the army. As the field was all cultivated and with many ditches, to mark the lands and wash way the mountain waters, we could never go with the necessary speed; and they took advantage of the order by which we marched, to flee and regroup at another point. The field was so much to their advantage, which presented at each point small positions, from where they were dislodged by skirmishers, and maneuvers, with which they were always in danger of being cut off by both flanks. The chase lasted all day till dark night and in the space of two [Portuguese] leagues and a half, counting from where the action began. They left open the Bayonne road, and retreated on the Pamplona royal road, where we are today on their trail. They lost 105 artillery pieces with all its equipment, and more than 2000 baggage carts, almost all of the army. King Joseph lost all its own baggage inside Vitoria, as well as 24 servants. Only the horses escaped by hand. We made from 700 to 800 prisoners, and 180 officers. General Sourry and Grenier dead and 2 prisoners (I ignore their names). Our soldiers are filled with riches from the plunder. Our loss in dead and injured is greater than that of the enemy; however the wounded are all slightly so. There is no general of ours injured. The way the enemy retreated is quite shameful. The position they took, and the way by which they allowed themselves to be flanked gives no credit to their generals. My brigade, though it didn’t fire, did no small service, as it marched with incredible speed, threatened always very close the enemy’s left.
 

We march for 23 days without halting, and I believe we shall not do it before going to Pamplona.
 

The action began at 11 am, became general by two, and ended at night.
There was no regular attack. All were maneuvers and skirmishing.

Goodbye Friend

Loureiro

(Jorge Quinta-Nova, translation)

Original Portuguese text in url