HLI Chronicle 1907 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE.
59
enemy would occupy them to resist the
assailants, as they had done the previous year.
Sir Samuel AilChmuty, on the right, was
ordered to detach' the 38th Regiment to gain
the Plaza de . Toros, and occupy the strong
ground surrounding it. The 87th, 5th, 36th,
and 88th Reigments were each divided into
wings, and each wing ordered to penetrate
into the street directly to its front. The
Light Battalion (with the7lst Company)
was also divjiie.d into wings, and each of these,
followed by a wing of the 95th and a threepounder
gun, was ordered to proceed down the
two streets on the right of the central one, the
45th Regiment being directed to pierce the
two adjoiw.ng ones and occupy the Residencia.
Two six-pounders covered by the
Carabineers and three troops of the 9th Light
Dragoons ..were to move along the central
street. The remainder of the troops remained
in reserve in rear of the centre. Each column
was ordered to push on until it gained the
last block/of houses near the river, where they
were to form on the flat roof-tops and await
orders. All were to push on with unloaded
muskets, and no firing was to be permitted
until they had reached their final points.
At half-past si~ on the morning. of the
5th of J uly th..~attack commenced, and
almost immediately the troops found themselves
exposed to the most destructive fire.
The streetS' were intersected by deep ditches,
behind which were placed cannon that poured
grape on the advancing troops. Besides the
enemy's regular troops, most of the inhabitants,
with their negro servants, defended their dwellings,
which were so strongly barricaded that it
was impossible to force them. Showers of musketry,
hand grenades, bricks, and stones from
the tops of' the houses saluted our men, who
were likewise torn to pieces by grape-shot at
the cross streets.
Notwithstanding these obstacles, Sir Samuel
Auchmuty, with the 38th and 87th, succeeded
in capturing strong positions at the Retiro and
Plaza de Toros .. The 5th Regiment also gained
the river without much opposition, and occupied
the Convent of Santa Catalina. Brigadier­
General Lumley, with the 36th and 88th, also
reached their point, but the 88th, being nearer
the fort and principal defences of the enemy,
were so weakened by the conflict as to be
totally overpowered and taken. The flank of
the 36th being thus exposed, they, together
:with the 5th, were forced to retire on Sir
Samuel Auchmuty's position at the Plaza de
Toros. The Carabineers and guns 'in the
centre street were also unable to penetrate into
the town.
The left division of General Craufurd's
Brigade, under Colonel Packe, pressed on as
far as the river, and, turning to the left,
attempted to seize the Jesuits' College; but,
finding this impossible, part threw itself ~nto
a house which was untenable, and was obliged
to surrender, whilst the remainder fell back
upon the right division under General Cranfurd
himself. The latter, having also gained
the river, had turned to the left towards the
great square and fort; but, learning of the
fate of his left division, he deemed it advhable
to occupy the Convent of San Domingo, where
he was ultimately forced to surrender, after
a most gallant defence against greatly superior
numbers. The movements of the right division,
in which was the Company of the 7lst, is best
described in the words of the" Journal of a
Soldier."
" We remained under arms on the morning
of the 5th of July, waiting the order to advance.
Judge our astonishment when the word was
given to march without ammunition-with
fixed bayonets only. ' We are betrayed,' was
whispered through the ranks. 'Mind your
duty, my lads; onwards! onwards! Britain
for ever!' were the last words I heard our
noble Captain Brookman utter. He fell as we
entered the town. Onwards we rushed, carrying
everything before us, scrambling over
ditches and other impediments which the
inhabitants had placed in our way. At the
corner of every street, and flanking all the
ditches, they had placed cannon, that thinned
our ranks every step we took. Still onwards
we drove, up one street, down another, until
we came to the Church of San Domingo,
where the colours of the 71st Regiment had
been placed, as a trophy, over the shrine of
the Virgin Mary. We made a sally into it,
and took them from that disgraceful restingplace,
where they had remained ever since the
surrender of General Bereaford to General
Liniers. Now we were going to sally out in
triumph. ,The Spaniards had not been idle.
The entrances of the church were barricaded,
and cannon placed at each entrance. We were
forced to surrender, and were marched to
prison. It was there I first learned the
complete failure of our enterprise. . ' ,';
" During the time we were charging through
the streets many of our men made sallies into
the houses in search of plunder, and.mauy were
encumbered with it at the time of our surrender.
One sergeant of the'38th had made