10. Suffering on the Road to Seville (6)
May 25th. On this day’s march leading to Seville numerous beautiful villages lay along the roadside and the banks of the Guadalquivir, which is very large and navigable. Its name was given it by the Moors, and the translation is “the Great River”. Finding myself much fatigued, I stopped at one village, and entering a cottage asked for bread and water, which was given to me immediately. I had not been there ten minutes before some French soldiers came in sight: the cottager instantly hid the bread, but the precaution was unnecessary, for they did not come into her house, but entering the next asked for something to eat. On the poor woman’s saying she had not anything either for them or for herself, one of the soldiers, speaking in a language I could not understand, drew a sharp knife and dropped it point downwards through her foot. The poor creature screamed, and immediately found bread for the man who had so cruelly treated her.
I continued my march with my friend Captain Phillips of the 4th Dragoons, and seeing a fine hawthorn bush in full bloom we determined to rest under the shade for a short time. On reaching the spot we discovered a fine tall French officer sitting under the tree, with a looking-glass in his hand, contemplating a face which I do suppose had once been as fine as his figure. But this unfortunate gentleman had received at Albuera a blow of a sabre, by which not only was his nose cut off close to his face, but his upper lip at the same time. I was shocked at the horrid sight. He spoke to me in the best manner he could, and pointing to my bandaged head he said, “I am sorry, sir, that we have both suffered so severely”. He pointed to us to sit down beside him, but did not speak again.
We noted that from Llerena onwards the French began to drop a portion of their wounded. Some were left both at Guadalcanal, at Constantina, and at Tocina. I was told afterwards by the people of Seville that this was done with the intent of concealing their real loss at Albuera. I ought to have said before that during all the last six days I had depended on the assistance of Captain Phillips of the 4th Dragoons, who had been unfortunately made prisoner nearly at the same moment as myself. Seeing the weak state I was in, he kindly offered me his help, which I gladly accepted. It is not in the power of words to sufficiently thank him for his unremitting attention on the road to Seville. He never left me, night or day, and, though extremely fatigued himself, rendered me every service in his power. We entered Seville together, having got a little ahead of the remaining officers who were prisoners. The French Town-Major told us to wait for them, which we did, resting under the shadow of a house; the good woman brought us chairs, and I was no sooner seated than I fell into a sound sleep from excess of exhaustion. On the arrival of the other officers the good people of the house invited them in, and gave them cakes and wine. When all were collected they woke me from the sleep of fatigue following long marches in intense heat.
The Town-Major led us from one end of Seville to the other, in order to show the people that they had English prisoners. Well knowing that we were only being led about for a show, I complained of it, and we were at last brought to the Governor, who directed that we were to be taken to the manufactory of an English merchant, who carried on a large trade in tanning. The French found him useful for saddles, reins, holsters, and shoes, or they would not have allowed him to remain in Seville. The name of the house was Weatherell & Co. Mr. Weatherell received us as countrymen with civility, and went with us to the house of an Englishwoman named Lutsford, where we were well accommodated. She provided us with a good dinner, and happy we were to rest.
May 26th. Everything that money can produce is to be purchased in Seville—content excepted. We had breakfast in great comfort, and soon after a Mr. Neish, nephew to Mr. Weatherell, came in with two Spanish surgeons to dress our wounds. Mr. Weatherell had the power and the wish to do good. He offered us money in return for bills, which we gladly accepted. That night he gave us a friendly invitation to dinner, and, to our surprise, brought several English friends to meet us: I remember the names of a Mr. and Mrs. Stoker, Mr. Markland, besides Mr. Neish and the younger Weatherell. There were others. After dinner they retired to take a sleep, termed by the Spaniards a siesta, and in the evening we took tea with Mrs. Stoker, returning to sleep at Mrs. Lutsford’s, as comfortable as circumstances would admit.
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