Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:18:20 +1200
From: arthur carkeek <artcart65@gmail.com>
Subject: drummer boy chpt 18 bk 2

DRUMMER BOY
CHAPTER 18
BOOK 2
THE ROAD NORTH
BY ARTHUR

CONTACT AUTHOR:
artcart65@gmail.com


It was late afternoon on the fourth day when Thomas, Carmelo and the escort
finally made it into the camp at Braganza. For those watching the return of
their General, it was obvious they had had a tough ride home. The horses
were flecked with white foam from their heavy sweating and the riders were
covered in days worth of dust and grime; the riders also looked as though
they had slept little in the last four days as their eyes were dark rimmed
and looked hollow in their grime laden faces.

Thomas was glad to once again finally be back with his many friends; the
column had only stopped when needed and they had forced themselves onward
regardless of how tired they felt; it was only the health of the horses
that made them stop along the way. Thomas and his men had been riding
almost nonstop since before dawn with only a pause at midday for a quick
bite and to rest the horses.

As Thomas eased from his tired and foam flecked horse, he felt the ache of
his bones from the long hours of riding; he would need a good rest this
night to try to get back to something approaching normal. While Thomas was
well aware he had much to do, his present state of tiredness had other
ideas for him and it was with relief he saw the ever present newly promoted
Sergeant Fairley waiting patiently for him at the door to his small house.

Thomas let a soft groan escape his lips as he finally got to sit down in a
stable chair and let Fairley ease off his hot and tight boots, a hot bath
was waiting close by for him to slip into and soak away the aches of the
last four days.

Without realising it, Thomas drifted off in the hot bath, the long days of
travel had finally caught up with him and it was now up to Fairley to watch
over him until it was time to leave the hot bath and look for his
bed. Dinner was something that Thomas would ignore when he finally fell
into his bed and the soft snoring of a tired body could be heard in the
late afternoon heat.

When Thomas finally opened his eyes and tried to rub away the crusty goo
from his eyes, he still felt as though he needed more sleep but the rumble
in his stomach tried to urge him to find sustenance before much more time
passed. The sound of Thomas groaning as he tried to sit up and then swing
his legs over the side of the cot soon got Fairley's attention as he dozed
in a chair close by the bedside.

"Anything to eat Fairley?" Thomas asked his batman.

"Yes Sir, I have some cold meat and bread ready for you. Do you want a cafe
or something a little stronger?"

"Cafe would be fine thank you Fairley. Does Major Jones have all your
details for your new pay and rank?"

"Yes Sir, he did opinion that it was about time, but that's not for me to
say Sir."

"Cheeky bugger. Right Fairley I'll have that food and the cafe now if you
please then I can dress and get the day underway; we have a lot to do."

"Yes Sir. There is one thing Sir."

"What is it Fairley?"

"It is only about two hours after midnight; do you want me to wake everyone
now?"

"Oh damn, I thought it was far later. OK Fairley let me eat and drink then
I can start to make a few plans before everyone else wakes; you had better
get to your own bed when you have finished here, you may not get much rest
from here on out."

"Yes Sir, thank you."

As Fairley walked out of the room, Thomas suddenly realised that his batman
was now almost fourteen; he had no idea where the time had gone but his
batman had always seemed to be there and somehow know without being asked
what Thomas's needs would be. It was times like these that Thomas realised
how the others had watched over him without complaint; he owed so much too
so many of his men and he had no idea how to repay them for their
steadfastness.

With Fairley gone off to rest, Thomas sat at the small table and sipped his
cafe while chewing on the meat, bread and cheese that Fairley had left for
him. In front of him were a number of Major Smithson expert maps; each
showing a part of the wide pass that led from the southern plains through
to Balbao; some of the light pencil marks on the maps showed him where he
had already been when raiding the French supply trains.

To make better plans, Thomas had now spread all of the smaller maps out
over the floor area so that they looked more like one large map with small
stones holding down the corners of each one. Thomas had been at work for
some time when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps; once again it
was the faithful Fairley carrying a fresh mug of cafe and it was then that
Thomas saw that the night had grown lighter and that dawn was upon him.

Thomas smiled at Fairley as the batman placed the cafe close to hand and
then stood back and asked.

"Do you want something more to eat Sir?"

"No thank you Fairley, I still have plenty left to chew on until
breakfast."

Fairley looked over at the table where a very clean plate sat; he smiled as
the turned back to where Thomas was kneeling on the floor as he looked over
the scattered maps.

"I don't think the plates can be eaten Sir; perhaps I can find a little
more to tide you over until the fires are stoked."

"What? What do you mean Fairley, there's plenty left, I've hardly taken a
bite so far."

Fairley lifted the empty plate from the table and tipped it on its side
before saying.

"Then we must have a bad infestation of rats Sir."

"What?"

Thomas turned his head and looked up to see Fairley holding the empty
plate; a look of surprise came over Thomas's face as he realised he had
been eating as he worked and yet his stomach still seemed to need something
more. Thomas shook his head at the smiling batman.

"Alright, no need to get smug; so I was a bit distracted; see what you can
find and another cafe to boot."

"Yes Sir." The smiling Fairley said as he took the plate away as well as
the other empty cafe mug while Thomas turned back to his spread maps.

Slowly a pattern was beginning to develop in Thomas's mind as he surveyed
the maps on the floor; if only he had one large detailed map it would have
made it easier. With a sudden realisation, Thomas came up with a new job
for the hard working Major Smithson and his little group of mappers.

On looking over the existing maps and trying to make allowances for the
gaps between them; Thomas worked out that, if the French did have to
retreat then they had very few options but it would all depend on how far
the English could push them back to the French border.

Fairley was soon back with a replenished plate and a fresh cafe which he
placed on the table just as Thomas stood up and absently reached for some
meat and bread without really looking at what he was doing; Fairley deduced
that it was what Thomas had been doing for most of the morning. Thomas
looked at Fairley and then said.

"When the others have arisen would you please find the Colonels and Major's
for me and ask them to come and see me as soon as they can."

"Yes Sir."

Fairley left the house and went in search of the Senior Officers; as he
walked out into the rising light of a new day, Fairley could hear the
beginnings of the camp coming to life in readiness of a new day. Fairley
soon found all of the Officers and passed on Thomas's request before
turning towards the kitchens where he could hear the scullery's beginning
to stoke the fires for another day of cooking to feed the masses of the
small army.

At the sound of a knock on the door jam, Thomas looked up to see Carmelo
and Estaban standing there watching him on his knees on the floor as he
continued to pour over the small maps.

"Come in, I have a few things for you to think on and let me know what you
think; are the others on their way?"

"Yes Patron, they should be here shortly." Carmelo replied.

Thomas stood up and glanced at the now empty plate and the two empty cafe
mugs; he couldn't remember finishing either but turned back to his two
closest friends. Before he could start, Thomas heard the rest of his
Officers talking amongst themselves as they came towards the house. Thomas
held up his hand to indicate to his friends that they would continue once
the others had joined them.

With everyone clustered in the small front room of Thomas's house, there
was little room to move but each man found a place and waited for Thomas to
begin.

"Sorry to call you all here before breakfast but I wanted to get things
started early and I need some suggestions so I can finalise everything
before we move the camp north. Major Smithson, once again I have to ask for
your help and those of your mappers. Can you make a single map of the
following areas and put in as much detail as you can fit on a large space."

Here Thomas showed Major Smithson the smaller maps he had selected as being
of the most importance according to the information he had so far. Major
Smithson took one glance at the number of smaller maps and gave a single
nod that he could do as asked but told Thomas he would need a little time
to make it work.

"How much time do you need Major?"

"If I need to go back and look over the areas once more then it could be
about a month Sir."

"Then I will leave it all in your hands Major but I do need as much detail
as you can get for us. Take whatever supplies you need for you and your men
and get underway as soon as you can."

"Immediately Sir, we can leave within two hours."

"Thank you Major. Major Morgan?"

"Yes Sir?"

"How long to get all your guns to this point in the pass to Balbao with one
Company of Infantry along as well?"

Major Morgan looked at the four maps that Thomas had spread on the table
and followed Thomas's finger as he traced the route to the south western
pass leading to Balbao. Major Morgan stood silently for a few minutes as he
tried to work out the distances and the needs of his five Batteries and a
Company of Infantry along with all the supplies they may need.

"At the worst Sir, I think about three weeks but if all goes well then we
may make it in two."

"Good. Major Lorenco I want to put you in charge of the other Company of
Infantry as well as your sharpshooters; I think it would be best if you
made use of all our mules for supplies but that you remain as mobile as
possible. Your place will be here to the west of Vittoria and covering the
central pass; do you think you can be there also in three weeks if needs
be?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good then once there I want you to have the men well spread out along the
northern ridge so that you have an open field of fire down into the
pass. Your job is not to directly attack any columns but to do what you all
do best; harry them from maximum distance and keep your men safe from any
retaliation. Again mobility is your safest ploy."

"Yes Sir."

"Major Jones I want you to make sure they all have everything they will
need and once that is taken care of I want you to take over the defence of
this camp until we return. Captain Maketja and the others will probably
return after we have left, keep them here to assist you in the defence of
the camp."

"Yes Sir."

"Carmelo I would like you to stay with me as we will be with Estaban and
the three companies of Cavalry; while I have full confidence in the three
Cavalry Officers I would like one of us in each Company to make sure we
keep them mobile and they do not stop to make a full out fight with any
French we may run into. If the English succeed in their push north then
there are going to be a great number of French troops on the road and not
all of them will retreat in haste once battle is joined."

Carmelo and Estaban just nodded that they understood and would do whatever
Thomas asked of them.

"Right next thing is we have to make our first plans and once Mister
Smithson has returned and finalises his map we will being to make the last
plan; for now I want you all to see to your men and make sure they have
everything they may need; if this works out it could well be our last fight
to get the French out of the country so I want everyone to check and double
check that you have everything you will need to succeed and that the men
under your command are as safe as we can make them."

Thomas looked at the many faces of all his closest friends; he had a
feeling deep inside that this was the time that was going to influence
their future and only a solid win over the French would secure that future.

Even after five years of war, Thomas was astounded by the amount of work
that was going into the checking of the men's equipment. Major Jones seemed
to be right in his element as he took stock of his many supplies and began
to issue new items to all the men. Every musket and pistol was to have new
flint whether they had been worn down or not; the barrels of their weapons
were cleaned of any sign of rust and then coated in a very fine layer of
refined whale oil for preservation.

Every knife and sword was taken out, oiled and then sharpened; boost were
inspected for over wear and replaced wherever possible or repaired with
care. Saddlery and tack were also inspected and repaired or replaced and
the men's large panniers to carry all they would need were checked for any
damage. When the time came to move north there would be no wagon train; the
army was going to move at speed and everything the men would need would be
in their panniers or they would go without.

Major Morgan had every gun stripped to its smallest part, cleaned and
inspected before re-assembling and testing. The gunners were put through
their paces as they were brought up to as fine a set of gunners as had ever
been seen on ship or shore. Lieutenant Wright had his men stripping the
rocket ramps and inspecting every nut, bolt and sighting slide then oiling
it all to keep off any chance of rust. His next effort was to reproduce
what seemed like an endless number of rockets of which he had now become
very proficient at making after receiving the plans from England for their
production, via the ever helpful talents of Mister Percy.

Thomas had allocated ten of their mules for the conveyance of the extra
rockets as Lieutenant Wright had proven there worth more than once since
using them for the first time so long ago. It was at times like these; as
they prepared for what may very well be their most defining battle so far
the Thomas found himself with little to do but sign masses of paper that
Major Jones put before him each day; it was an onerous task and one of the
few Thomas did not look forward to.

As the day for their move north came closer; Major Jones began to issue the
men with what they may need as far as extra powder and shot to make their
familiar wax paper cartridges; their food would be issued the night before
they moved off and would be made up of smoked meat, cheese and rounds of
thin bread, each man carrying enough for five days. They would be
re-provisioned by making use of whatever was around them for which Thomas
had given orders that each man was to carry two gold coins for any
purchases of food from the local farmers as they needed.

It was mid April before Major Smithson re-appeared with his small band of
map makers. They all looked as though once again they had gone without much
sleep and were dressed in rough peasant garb to lessen the chances of
discovery when so close to the French. Major Smithson's report and final
details of the maps was concise and to the point as he revealed to Thomas
what he had seen while he and his men filled in any blanks in his older
maps.

From the Major's report it seemed the French were indeed preparing for the
advance of Wellington, the passes were filled with supply trains and
reinforcements which had made it just that much harder for the Major to do
his job. It appeared the French were making good use of the main pass from
Balbao east to Vittoria or further. There seemed to be hardly a pause in
the long columns of men and supplies being transported east for the
upcoming battle.

Seemingly without rest Major Smithson set his men to updating the maps and
transferring them onto one very large piece thick parchment that the Major
had somehow pieced together from smaller pieces; it now covered more than a
yard on each side and the Major and his tired men set to work to make a
complete map of the area Thomas had wanted.

Knowing that the Viscount had plans to attack around mid May Thomas began
to issue orders for the slowest column to begin its move north; it was to
be the guns and Infantry to go first with the other Company of Infantry and
the sharpshooters to follow two days later; Thomas and the Cavalry would
follow on two days after that.

By the 4th of May Thomas had the large map before him, to his young eyes
the map looked extraordinary with its fine detail with distances and ranges
in small figures where needed as well as the height of the ridges and low
mountains that could stand in their way. On the 5th of May Thomas gave the
orders for the gunners and Infantry to move out once they had the location
he wanted them to take a stand at.

Major Morgan carried a smaller version of the map he would need for the
area he was to fight from as did Lorenco; Thomas carried the larger map
rolled up in a thick leather pouch as he would need the full coverage of
the Balbao pass and its environs so he could keep and overall view of the
plan.





Lieutenant Snot Morgan and Captain Maketja led the small force of ten men
in their guide troop towards where they had been told they should meet up
with the English General Sir Thomas Graham. Thomas's orders were still
fresh in their minds as they held their horses to a ground swallowing trot;
with luck they should either meet up with or sight the tracks made by the
English force in the next one or two days.

Snot had been told that they should find the English at or around
Villafranca where Maketja and his guides would then take over and lead the
large column of men and guns over the mountains and well behind the front
lines of the French further to their east and south. The tracks they would
be following were mainly used only by smugglers and anyone not involved
with that trade would never find them.

Each of the extra ten men had deep knowledge of some part of the tracks
they were going to use and Maketja had told Snot that he would have to
impress on the English General that his men would have to work hard on
getting their many guns over the passes; there would be no space for wagons
and any they had would have to be left behind and the supplies carried on
the backs of the wagon mules or left on the wagons.

Ahead of them was a journey that could easily take two months and there was
little doubt there would be losses amongst the English soldiers. The area
they were going into was considered by many to be impassable although the
smugglers had proved that theory wrong at every turn if one was adventurous
and brave enough to be almost foolhardy.

Two days after leaving their camp at Braganza, Snot and Maketja came across
the first signs of the English army; with more than 20,000 men in the
column it was not difficult to find the first trace of them. The trail led
towards the lower ridges of the Asturian and Cantabrian Mountains and
appeared to be very fresh; Maketja thought they should meet up with the
column within an hour or two as they turned to follow the churned up
ground.

The winter in these higher elevations still held a little sway and the deep
marks of many wagons were easily seen in the torn ground; Snot wondered
what the English were going to think when they were told to leave their
wagons behind.

The rest of the English army which numbered around 57,000 were to be led
across the wide plains of Castile by some of Wellington's Spanish guides
and were to be used as a feint while Sir Thomas Graham's men were to be the
main thrust on the French right flank. Wellington's road was a little
easier as he wanted to be seen by the French while Sir Thomas Graham's
corps stayed well out of sight and was given the most difficult of the land
to cross.

Snot and Maketja came across the tail of the English army just as it was
looking up at the mountains they would have to cross; the comments made by
the rough English troops as the small column of youngsters rode by were
incomprehensible to the Spanish boys but not so to the tender ears of Snot
Morgan, although he kept his own mouth shut and refused to speak to the
rougher soldiers of England; it was not his place to correct their
ignorance.

"Well lookee ere lads, them foreigners is sending little boys to fight in
this ere man's war." Opined one soldier as he saw the small group pass by;
the reply he got from one of the older hands was not what he had been
expecting.

"Shut it Grimes, thems is the men of the Rolica Drummer whats is a hero in
this man's army so mind yer manners."

"What them little boys, come on Sergeant they should be at their mummy's
titty not ridin around like real soldiers."

"I says shut it Grimes; next time it be extra duty ifin you got a mind to
talk bad bouts one of our own. Ifin them boys is ere then there be a good
reason; only time you see them is when trouble is about."

Snot could not hide the smile on his face as he rode away; it seemed his
special General still had a few old hands around that had respect for what
he had done nearly five years ago. The long column of men and wagons seemed
to go on forever as the twelve riders moved forward. For Snot it seemed the
column had to be at least two miles long. If this were so then they would
never make it over the mountains in time; the column would have to be
stripped down and pushed far harder if Wellington's orders were to be
fulfilled.

As they rode past the long column, Snot saw many of the men struggling as
they tried to carry their equipment and at the same time try to assist in
pushing the over-laden wagons through some of the rougher ground where the
mud had not entirely dried into dust.

As the small troop came up to the rear of the English Cavalry they garnered
more strange looks as they passed by and rode towards the front of the
column. It was only a short time later that Snot and Maketja saw the man
they had been searching for. Sir Thomas Graham was a portly man and showed
the effects of his exulted position. He sat his large horse with the ease
of a man used to being in the saddle for long periods.

Around the General were a large number of high ranking officers and all
seemed to be not only in good spirits but totally unaware of the plight of
some of their men behind them. Snot and Maketja soon caught up to the
Officers ahead of them but before they could introduce themselves Sir
Thomas Graham turned his head to look them over with a very superior, if
not disdainful look on his face; his words were curt and to the point.

"Who are you lads and what are you doing up here?"

"Sir, I am Lieutenant Morgan and this is Captain Maketja, we have been
ordered by our General to escort you and your army over the mountains. I
will be your interpreter as Captain Maketja and his men do not speak
English."

The General lifted his hand to halt the column and slowly the long line of
men and equipment came to a halt; most of the Infantry immediately found a
place to sit and rest while others searched for their water bottles.

"And who would this General of yours be lad?"

"General Don Thomasino de Toro Sir; Commander of the 1r Regimiento Espanol
Guerrillas. We are here at the request of Viscount Wellington; it is our
orders to find a path through the mountains for you and your army
Sir. Captain Maketja and his men were born in these mountains and know
every path to take you through to the River Esla as the Viscount requires
Sir."

"I see Lieutenant; well I hope your abilities are more pronounced than your
years. You and your men may dine with the Junior Officers and other ranks;
if there is nothing more then we can continue on our way; we still have
another hour before we must make camp for the night."

"There is one thing more Sir."

"What is it now Lieutenant?" The General's tone of voice said far more to
Snot than his words conveyed.

"Your column Sir, it is far too slow and cumbersome to make the River Esla
in the time the Viscount requires; it is imperative that the column be
lightened of un-necessary equipment and the wagons will have to be left
behind."

"Are you insane Lieutenant; everything we need is in those wagons and the
men will not be able to advance without their equipment. The whole idea is
impossible; you will have to think of something else."

"Sir, if I may ask; what is the daily distance your column is making at
this time?"

"Why do you ask Lieutenant?"

"Well Sir, if it is like other army columns then it is far too slow to get
to the River Esla on time; the men will need to travel lighter and at a
better speed, the wagons are far too slow for that and there is also the
size of the paths we will be using. Captain Maketja has told me that none
of the paths will be wide enough for wagons and they will not make the
grades that we are going to climb, it will be very difficult just for your
guns but no chance at all for fully laden wagons."

"Well then Lieutenant you and your lads will just have to find another way;
you can't honestly expect Officers to travel in the field without their
normal comforts and as far as leaving the wagons that is also impossible;
most of our war needs are on those wagons. How will we get the powder and
shot to where they need to be?"

"On horseback Sir; we will transfer as much of your war needs to the wagon
mules; what we can't take we will have to be left behind. Now Sir I think
the average distance for an army is between ten and twelve miles per day;
for you to make the River in time we need to make at least thirty miles per
day and that can only be done without the wagons."

"Preposterous Lieutenant, no man can make that distance on foot; especially
over these mountains."

"No Sir it is not preposterous; the 1r Regimiento Espanol Guerrillas can
cover as much as fifty miles per day when required and so can your
men. Thirty miles should be easy for them to accomplish if they are
prepared to put in the effort."

"Are you arguing with a Superior Officer Lieutenant; if so I will have you
brought up on charges just as soon as it is convenient. Now then your idea
cannot be done; it is impossibility and that's final."

"Very good Sir then I have no alternative but to return to my General and
report your decision and that you have no further need of us; I'm sure the
Viscount Wellington will fully understand when you do not make your
appearance on the battle field, knowing how difficult these mountains are
to cross."

"That is impertinent Lieutenant; you are about to cross a line that no
Junior Officer should cross."

"Yes Sir, then if you have no further need of us we shall return to our own
camp. Good bye Sir Thomas." Snot being as he was a Morgan could not resist
a last jibe. "We do hope you won't miss the Viscounts battle it would be
such a slur on your record. Toodaloo."

Snot turned his horse and began to ride away with the others following him
as he changed to Spanish and began to tell them what the conversation had
been all about. The small troop rode off back the way they had come; he had
followed his orders and they had been refused by the most Senior
Officer. As far as Snot was concerned his duty was done and it was time to
go home and take up the fight with his friends.

The troop rode for another hour before Snot and Maketja heard a double
whistle from the rear of the troop; without a pause, Maketja waved his arm
to the left and right and the two ranks split and looked for cover on both
sides of the valley they had been riding through. A double whistle was the
signal that there may be danger approaching from their rear.

With all twelve riders now well hidden among the large rocks and scrub that
covered the sides of the narrow valley; they took their muskets from their
shoulders and got ready to fight if they needed to. In the quiet that now
surrounded them Snot could now plainly hear the sounds of a fast galloping
horse coming from behind them. The only other sound in the valley was the
very distinctive sound of twenty four hammers being taken to full cock.

Captain Warren rode as fast as he could, the General's orders were not to
be ignored even though Captain Warren had seen the look of dislike and even
distaste on the Generals face as he issued his orders to the young Captain
of Cavalry to find and return with the young foreign men.

Captain Warren was easily able to follow the hoof prints on the dusty road;
he was hoping they were not also at the gallop as it would have made his
orders so much harder to carry out. It was with a surprise that almost
unseated him when he turned a bend in the valley and came face to face with
the twelve men he had been in search of; the fact that he was looking down
the double barrels of some strange muskets also gave him cause for concern.

Pulling hard on his reins to bring his horse to a halt before he ran into
the young men that blocked his path; Captain Warren gulped as he looked
down the mass of barrels and hoped the men behind them had a good steady
hand as he reached down to calm his horse. Captain Warren decided he had
better speak first before a severe accident happened and he was on the
receiving end.

"Excuse me gentlemen, which one of you is Lieutenant Morgan?"

Snot kneed his horse a few steps closer to the Cavalryman and then said.

"That would be me and who are you?"

"Captain Warren of the 18th Hussars, Lieutenant. I wish to convey the
Generals compliments and would you be so kind as to return and advise the
General on how he may march to the River Esla."

Snot could not resist the temptation laid before him.

"And if I say no, what then Captain?"

"Uhm...well...ahh...I don't exactly know Lieutenant, the General did not
tell me what to do if you refused; I ahh..."

The Captains voice trailed off into silence as Snot smugly enjoyed the
moment. Before replying to the Captain, Snot turned to Maketja and the
others and, speaking in Spanish told them.

"Seems old Rolly-Polly can't find his boot straps and wants us to go back
and find them for him; what do you think Maketja?"

"Well it's why we're here; seems a shame to make him have to ask us for
help and not give it to him, besides I want to watch those fine soldiers
marching bravely over the mountains."

"Did I ever tell you that you have a very nasty streak in you Maketja?"

"Yes often but then we would not have so much fun would we Snot?"

"That's true, OK I'll tell this Captain we are coming back to save them but
only so you can watch all those brave soldiers."

"Hrumph... like you really care what happens to them; you should have been
born a Basque instead of an English, your mean steak is far wider than my
own and you damn well know it."

"True but then you would be lonely and never have any fun if I stayed
away."

"There is that, well you had better put this Captain's mind at rest so we
can return to your Rolly-Polly and help find his boots."

Snot turned back to the Captain who had sat his horse in silence with a
look of concern on his youngish face while the two strangers had discussed
matters in a tongue he did not understand.

"Well Captain, if you would like to lead the way, Captain Maketja has
decided to return and help the General only because he feels a sense of
duty to our own General's orders."

"Thank you Lieutenant and please convey our thanks to the Captain. If you
and your men would follow me Sir I will take you back; the General is
waiting for your return."

Snot gave Maketja a small nod and the rest of their small troop un-cocked
their muskets and slipped them back over their shoulders before once again
taking up their normal two ranks and following along behind the two young
Officers.

The ride back to Sir Thomas Graham's army was a little more sedate as they
kept their pace to a steady trot; it was less than an hour before full dark
when they came upon the large spread out camp. The smell of smoke from the
cooking fires and the hubbub of voices gave them ample warning well before
they actually rode into the camp.

Captain Warren led Snot and Maketja directly to the well appointed tents of
the Senior Officers while the other ten troopers found a small place they
could set up their own camp slightly away from the English troops. After
the troopers had seen to their horses they set about getting a good fire
going and preparing the evening meal, they would wait for their two young
Officers to get back before eating.

Snot and Maketja were led by the Captain to the largest of the Senior
Officers tents where a group of Officers were standing around talking. At
the appearance of the two young foreign Officers, there was a sudden
silence and the air about them seemed to suddenly take on a decidedly
colder feel. Not all of the looks were friendly but Snot and Maketja
appeared to just ignore them; as far as they were concerned, these Officers
did not know them or what they were capable of. In the days to come those
same Officers were to get an education that none of them were prepared for.

Captain Warren handed them over to the care of a Major who immediately
escorted them inside the nearest tent and into the presence of the portly
and well fed Sir Thomas Graham; the look on the Generals face was not one
of joy or friendship but more one of resignation, he needed the experience
of these two young Officers even though he did not like it.

Sir Thomas Graham tried as best he could to wipe away the frown on his face
as the two Officers were shown into his presence; neither Snot nor Maketja
had missed the look they got from the General but decided to ignore it for
the moment, they had their own way of making sure they were not taken for
fools but now was not the time.

"Well...hrumph...thank you for returning...uhm...gentlemen, let's call any
past errors a mistake in translation and let bygones be bygones. Now then
Lieutenant, you suggested a course of action that the Captain recommended
and, after some consideration I have decided to listen to his reasons a
little more closely. If you could enlarge on the Captains plans then I
shall see what we can do. I do understand that it is imperative for us to
make the River Esla in good time for us to succeed."

Snot took the opportunity to speak with Maketja as though he was asking him
for advice; the language barrier now became their best advantage when
dealing with the bellicose General.

As the plan to get the English army across the mountains had long been set,
most of what Snot and Maketja talked about in Spanish had very little to do
with what the General had asked of them, most of it was to do with what
they would be eating for dinner or how comfortable they could get while on
the move from this day on.

After a few minutes of chatter, Snot turned back to the General and made
his false report while Maketja stood beside him with a look of something
resembling devilish superiority. With Maketja it was hard to tell which; it
was not missed that he seemed to be absently fingering the butt of his
shouldered musket while watching the portly General like a hawk.

"Well Lieutenant, what does your Captain suggest for us to move onward?"

"As I mentioned before Sir, we will need to lighten your column or there is
little hope of you making the Viscounts needs. Captain Maketja has seen
that you have your wagons pulled by six mules; his suggestion is that you
take four of the mules from each wagon and use them as pack animals; they
are sure footed and can carry a good load if done properly. Whatever is
left can be put in the wagons and perhaps returned to Portugal with the
remaining two mules. Next are the guns, they will need to be stripped down
and the eight horse teams used to carry them on their backs. Captain
Maketja also suggests that your Cavalry horses be used to carry extra
powder and shot as there will be little opportunity for the men to ride for
most of the journey."

"I see, well if that is all then how do you propose we get all this done in
good time Lieutenant?"

"The Captain suggests we take two or three days now to break down the
supplies and ready the column for the mountains. Once everything is ready
some of our men will lead the mules out first and also watch the way
forward, the rest of the column should follow along no less than one hour
afterwards. The column will need to be on their way at first light every
day if they are to make the camp sites before dark. Captain Maketja has
said there are large stopping areas throughout the mountains that his
people make use of but they are about 30 miles apart and there are no
places to stop along the way. The column will have to eat and drink on the
move during the day if they want to camp in some comfort that evening."

"You seem to have high expectations of my men Lieutenant; I am not sure if
they can make that distance in the time your Captain suggests; the men are
not used to moving such distances and my Officers will need time to raise
their tents each evening."

"If you will excuse me for a moment Sir I will have to ask the Captain
about your concerns."

Snot barely waited for the General to nod before he turned to Maketja and
spoke in Spanish.

"Well old Rolly-Polly thinks he's going to have tents for the Officers and
the men are not able to make thirty miles a day; I think it's time he was
told a few home truths about what they are going into."

"Yes I agree, let's try to frighten him a little and there is no way on
this earth that they will have space for tents, perhaps one for Rolly-Polly
as he will need a headquarters to work from. Can you explain to him that if
they insist on taking tents for the Officers then they will have to leave
either powder or food behind; they don't have enough mules or horses to
carry everything they want."

"Yes I agree; I'll tell him and then see what he does after that but you
can almost place a wager that he will want his Officers to have their
comforts before he worries about the men and their needs."

"Then we will have to set the rules without his knowledge, he will not find
out about it until we are thirty miles away from his supplies. Make
Rolly-Polly the offer that we will use our own men to set up the loading of
the mules and horses; it's probably not the sort of thing he is used to so
we can get them loaded before he finds out about the lack of tents."

"Good idea, I'll make the offer and if he asks why I'll tell him it's
because of the terrain ahead and that you and the others know what can be
taken over the mountains and how it should be done."

"Sounds like a good idea."

Snot turned back to the impatient looking General and began to lay out the
plan for the column on the pretext that it was all Maketja's suggestions.

"Sir, Captain Maketja has doubts about being able to take too much
equipment over the mountains and so has suggested that you allow his men to
advise on the loading of the mules and horses. He has suggested that we
place two mules at your disposal for your personal tent and some of your
chattels but the other Officers will have to do with only what they can
carry on their own horses. All the guns will have to be dismantled and
carried on the horses but we have some experience of how it can be done so
will also help your gunners with that. Now Sir there is only the matter of
time; the Captain has said we should set aside the next three days to ready
the column for the trail ahead; the mules will go first and leave before
first light with the men following once dawn breaks."

"This all seems a little unnecessary and cumbersome Lieutenant but if it is
the only way we can make the River Esla on time then I will have to bow to
your Captains knowledge and allow him to carry out his plans. We will camp
here for the next three days as suggested but then we must away by the
morning of the fourth day; I cannot allow my force to be seen by any French
spies at this early stage."

"Thank you Sir, we can promise that the column will be well on its way four
days from now. If I may Sir, could we have written orders to that effect,
it may stop any mistakes in orders with the other Officers."

"Very well Lieutenant, I will have your orders written and delivered before
nightfall, now then if that is all I am sure you and the Captain have plans
to make and I have other business to attend to."

"Thank you Sir, the Captain will see to the needs of your force and make
everything ready for your move into the mountains."

Snot and Maketja gave a rather lose salute and left with smiles on their
faces; the Generals army was in for a surprise the next day as would be
most of his Officers, the work of stripping down the mass of the army would
start at sunrise the next morning.

Later that night the twelve guides got together and discussed what really
needed to be done. The young teen that was familiar with this part of the
country would take the lead on the first few days of their move; with him
would be two others who would act as guards in the van at the head of the
column. The mules were to be led out first as they would need the extra
time to make the next camp site before the rest of the army.

For the next three days and after some confusion as to the rights of the
young guides to give orders were finally settled, the camp then became a
hive of activity as the soldiers began to strip down the supplies in the
wagons and the forty guns were dismantled into their separate parts for
transport on the backs of the horses. The Cavalry horses had been
commandeered to carry extra food and powder much to the dismay and dislike
of their riders but the Generals orders were direct and to the point. Snot
and Maketja were looking forward to seeing the Cavalrymen trying to keep up
while on foot and leading their mounts which were now to be used as pack
horses.

It was still in the dark hours of the fourth morning when the camp was
awoken to the sound of mules being shivyed into action as the first part of
the column got underway. For those left behind it was the last chance to
sleep in the confines of a dry tent, from this day on it would be sleeping
under their heavy cloaks and on hard ground.

Dawn was just breaking when the sound of loud voices called for the troops
to set out on what was to be one of the hardest marches any of them would
ever make. At the head of the forming column were Snot and Maketja with Sir
Thomas Graham and his Senior Officers just behind. For the first hour
little changed except for the ever increasing slope ahead.

For those who wanted to look up at the ridge they were to climb to get to
the top of the range where they would follow the ridge line until they made
the first camp site; it was almost with trepidation as they could just make
out the toy sized figures of the mule line far above and working its way
along what looked to be no more than a narrow goat track.

For those troops who had not believed they would not be stopping for lunch
they were to find out that the strange young foreigners were indeed true to
their word; even the Officers were given no rest as the youngsters cajoled
and swore as the urged the men forward. By nightfall it was only the sight
of distant small fires that told the foot sore and weary column that the
camp site was within reach.

The climb to the top of the ridge had been not only tiring but also very
dangerous once they were more than a hundred feet up. The track had
narrowed until there was barely enough space for the horses let along the
men to walk in double file; that first day saw two men fall to their deaths
as they grew tired and did not watch where they placed their weary feet.

It was more than an hour after dark before the tail end of the column
finally made it into camp; those ahead of them were in little better state
and their meal consisted mainly of hard tack biscuits soaked in hot water
before the fell into a deep weary sleep. For those camped closer to the
small band of guides that had made their camp off to one side of the main
army there was an added torment. Somehow the small group had had time to
get a good fire going and there was a distinct spicy smell in the night air
as they cooked their dinner, it was not to be the only time the foreign
guides ate better than the other troops.

Snot and Maketja had gone back and forth along the column sometimes on
horseback and other times on foot as they pushed the men harder and harder
to raise the pace. Both boys were even amused at the end of the day when
they saw the tired face and slumped figure of Sir Thomas as he was helped
from his horse by a Junior Officer; the two boys smiled at each other as
they went off to find their friends at the small camp off to the side of
the main army.

Two days later and sixty miles further along the mountain range and with
the men now becoming used to the hard slog each day; there came one more
test for the guides, one that was unforeseen and no one was ready for
it. The Senior English Officers were taken entirely by surprise but not
Snot and Maketja and it was the two boys that settled the affair in a quick
and final way. It was reported afterwards that even Sir Thomas Graham could
only say good things about the two young Officers.



TBC.