Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2017 16:51:09 +1300
From: arthur carkeek <artcart65@gmail.com>
Subject: drummer boy chapter 5 bk 2

DRUMMER BOY
THE ROAD NORTH
CHAPTER 5
BOOK 2
BY ARTHUR

CONTACT AUTHOR:
artcart65@gmail.com


The next morning dawned overcast but by midday the sky had cleared and the
prospect for the rest of the day was good. The first of the Princes guests
started to arrive a little before 3 of the clock and continued over the
next hour. Most of the married Officers had brought their wives with them
on this, one of the most important days of the year. The beginning of the
new campaign season was always a great time for the military men and was
seen as a chance to make a good impression on those who held their futures
in their hands.

On the garden lawn below the wide patio the women had been ensconced in a
large marquee where they would be protected from the glare and heat of the
bright Spanish sun. The ladies were attended mostly by their husbands but
the younger unmarried Officers had made a home for themselves in the second
marquee that was set aside as the main bar area.

A large number of the Princes servants were circulating with large silver
trays of small finger food for those who felt a little hungry. To the far
left on the patio a small quintet played the popular music of the time
while the most Senior Officers stood in a group at the top of the wide
stone steps that led into the garden below. Prince Pedro Alfonso Pimentel
stood with his own Senior Officers and was chatting amiably with those of
Viscount Wellington.

The Prince was the epitome of politeness and cordiality as he made sure all
his guests were fully enjoying themselves as he talked to the specially
selected and invited guests.

"My Lord Viscount, firstly I must apologise that not all of my guests are
here on time; especially one of my own Generals who, unfortunately has
quite a distance to travel and has been away for some months. I am hoping
he will show shortly as I wanted you to especially meet him, you may find
you have a little in common with him as far as your unorthodox manner of
fighting the scourge we have been invaded with."

"And how would that be Your Highness?"

"Why my Lord Viscount, was it not yourself that noticed the young drummer
boy in the first place and then saw the possibilities of how he could be
used to better your campaign?"

"Ah yes I see; well Your highness he did show some little promise and was
even able to carry out some small attacks to disrupt the French. A pity
really Your Highness that he volunteered to confront the full force of the
French in the manner he did; he could have made something of himself
eventually had he not been so rash." The Viscount turned to the General
beside him.

"What do you say Beresford? That young drummer had some little potential
don't you think?"

"Well My Lord he was rather brash but then he was only a ranker and we all
know they cannot perform the real duties of a true Officer. Personally My
Lord I think he overstepped the mark and got his just deserts."

"Quite true Beresford, quite true. Well Your Highness you can see that we
tried to improve his lot in the world, however some people of low birth
just do not have what it takes when the fighting starts. Did you know Your
Highness that his father also served under me out in India; much like his
son he was also one of those brash sorts; cost him his leg in the
end. Blood will out Your Highness."

"Yes my Lord Viscount I tend to agree with you, blood will out in the end."
The Prince turned slightly to his right and spoke to the portly man
standing beside another younger Colonel. "Ah I see that you were able to
attend Colonel Cruikshank; it has been some time since we last had time
together. What are your opinions on the young man we were just discussing?"

Percy Cruikshank smiled at the Prince and then looked at the English
Officers all standing around waiting for his opinion, most knew of his
friendship with the deceased young man and wondered what he would say in
front of so many Senior Officers.

"Well Your Highness, as you know I was quite taken with the young man and I
could never really say he was the type to be brash, especially when it came
to the lives of his fellow troops. But as we have seen; sometimes things
just do not work out as we plan them. I do agree that for him to volunteer
to meet the full force of the French head on doesn't really sound like the
sort of thing he would do, but then I was not there so perhaps he
overestimated his abilities and perhaps not. I suppose we will never know
unless he returns from the grave to tell us."

"Well put Colonel, I must also admit I was quite taken with him and his new
but strange ideas on how to conduct a battle but there was something rather
novel about his approach to all things military."

"Tell me Your Highness." The Viscount asked. "What made you think this
General of yours was similar to the drummer boy?"

"Oh he uses much the same type of offensive against the French. He has few
numbers but his results are quite remarkable for what he has to work with;
he is also quite an ingenious young man and that is why he rose in our
ranks so quickly. Amongst the general population he is quite revered; his
name is often spoken by the ordinary man and it is only because of his
feats behind the French lines that the people avidly follow him. I am sure
you will find him entertaining. Perhaps my Lord Viscount you would even
impart some helpful advice to him when he gets here; I'm sure he will
appreciate your help and knowledge"

"Well I shall surely try Your Highness. Does he speak English Your
Highness? Sometimes things can be lost in the translation if he does not?"

"Oh yes my Lord Viscount, in fact he is also quite the scholar for one so
young. If I am correct I believe he can speak some four languages almost
fluently although I must admit his English is perhaps not of the highest
calibre but he does try his best."

"Thank you Your Highness, I am sure I can cope if it comes to that. Tell me
Your Highness, is he high born, we have found that the best officers have
to be high born so they can command the respect of the lower ranks. I
really don't know what the army would come to if just anyone was promoted
above their station."

"Just like that young drummer boy do you mean my Lord Viscount?"

"Exactly Your highness, we all saw how badly that ended."

"Well you need have no fear on that count My Lord Viscount. He is not only
a Knight of Spain but he also has his own Hacienda and more than five
thousand acres of land, I'm sure you will find he is quite well adjusted in
matters pertaining to correctness."

Percy shuffled his feet before speaking.

"Excuse me Your Highness, but it would appear one of your servants is
trying to attract your attention."

"Thank you Colonel Cruikshank, I will have to see what he wants; the cook
has probably burnt the bread once again. Will you gentlemen please excuse
me for a moment; I shall try not to be too long."

The Prince gave a small bow and smile as he turned towards the open doorway
of the Hacienda and went to speak with the waiting servant. The
conversation took only a few seconds before the Prince nodded his head and
the servant returned inside to the shadows of the great hall that ran the
length of the main building. Prince Pedro turned back to his important
guests and smiled as he walked towards them; no one saw the small nod he
gave to a young Lieutenant that was standing at the far end of the Hacienda
as though on guard.

At the Princes nod the Lieutenant suddenly came upright and disappeared
around the far corner as the Prince waved a hand at the small quintet at
the other end of the patio; the silence was immediate and the large crowd
below suddenly also grew quiet as the music stopped. The Prince took his
place at the top of the steps and looked down on the assembled crowd; he
was just beside the Viscount as he began to speak louder so that everyone
could hear him.

"My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen Officers, my apologies for disturbing your
enjoyment but it has just come to my notice that my special guest has
finally arrived and I am sure he would like to be introduced to you
all. Before he appears I have a little entertainment for you in the form of
my own drum troop who wish to mark this special occasion with their
rendition of our most famous martial music; the De La Guerra. I am sure
some of you have heard it before although I believe it is sometimes called
the Della Guerra by some English folk. My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, the
De La Guerra."

At the far end of the large Hacienda came the sound of a single drum
marking the time to set the pace for marching. From behind the Hacienda
came a troop of thirty drummers accompanied by a single young Officer who
was carrying a long silver staff. The drummers marched with perfection as
they finally formed up in three ranks at the far end of the large garden.

When the troop was in ranks, the young Lieutenant stepped to the front,
placed the butt of the long silver staff on the ground with his left hand
and snapped a very smart salute to the Prince. With a return of the salute
and a small nod of his head, the Prince stepped back a little so he was
standing almost beside Mister Percy.

As the first drummer began the long drum roll, one at a time the others
began to join in. While the drum roll was being played, the Prince saw
Mister Percy pull a handkerchief from his pocket and cover his lower face
as he pretended to cough.

"Is there something disturbing you Colonel?" The Prince asked with a smile
on his face. Percy looked at the Prince and even the crinkles at the corner
of his eyes told he was trying not to laugh out loud in front of all the
Officers.

"Not at all Your Highness, I just had a sudden thought of what we are about
to see and the reactions it may cause."

The Prince smiled as he turned back to watch the drummers and his
guests. Percy felt a slight nudge on his elbow and looked up at the Colonel
standing close beside him.

"What's going on Colonel Cruikshank?"

"What makes you think there is anything going on Colonel Lewis?"

"Something is going on Colonel Cruikshank and it has the smell of something
a certain young drummer boy would dream up if he were still alive."

"I really don't know what you mean Colonel Lewis, but if it were true a
wise man would have his handkerchief ready in case he had to cover his
smile in a hurry."

Colonel Lewis nodded and stayed silent but Percy noticed the younger man
reach into his pocket for his handkerchief as the voice of Marshal
Beresford was heard at the front of the watching Officers as the drums drew
closer to the full rendition of the De La Guerra.

"Your Highness, does this piece of music have a story about it like most
martial music?"

"It certainly does Marshal Beresford. When our troops hear this they know
the order has been passed that there will be no quarter given, no retreat
and no prisoners taken. We use it to instil fear into our enemies by making
it known that when they hear our drums they will only be carried off the
field in a dead man's cart."

"Ah I see Your Highness and tell me, does it work?"

"Undoubtedly Marshal, did not your own young drummer use it to great effect
at times?"

"Yes Your Highness but it did him little good in the end. Playing a drum is
far different than meeting the enemy eye to eye and bayonet to bayonet Your
Highness."

"So I have heard Marshal Beresford, I am led to believe that Albuera was
such a battle, you must have been very lucky to take the day Marshal if all
I have heard is true."

Before Beresford could reply the drums started fully into the De La Guerra
and their thunder filled the gardens and echoed out into the open
countryside surrounding the large Hacienda. At the end of the De La Guerra
there was only a single drum marking the time while the rest stayed at
attention; it was then that those standing on the patio heard the
unmistakeable sound of booted feet on stone flooring; it was coming from
behind them.

As though they were all tied with the same piece of rope, the Officers
turned towards the sound of marching feet as they moved closer in time with
the single drum beat. From the shadows of the great hall came a sight that
almost overawed the watching Officers.

The Officers approaching the waiting men were in a phalanx and three
abreast, at their head was a youngish man of medium height and his fancy
uniform looked just a little too large for his slender frame. Neither Percy
nor the Prince missed the sarcastic comment from behind them; the voice
betrayed the person as Marshal Beresford.

"If they are going to wear such outlandish uniforms they should get a man
that can wear it to effect. The General looks as though he could do with a
damn good meal."

A whispered reply was heard by those closest.

"It would appear that these foreigners think looking like a popinjay will
be enough to win their battles for them, too flashy for my taste if you ask
me."

Some of the other Officers nodded in agreement as they watched the youngish
General march towards them. He was dressed in the usual over fancy uniform
that the foreigners seemed to prefer. It was all black and his knee length
boots were much like those worn by the cavalry. On the thighs was a very
intricate pattern of gold thread and around his waist was a sash of red and
gold; it looked to be a little the worse for wear and detracted a little
from the overall effect.

The jacket was a masterpiece of heavy gold braid and finely worked gold
threads on the two front panels. The sleeves were also covered in the gold
braid and there was a strange red patch on his left shoulder which none of
the watching Officers could quite make out. On his shoulders were a pair of
very heavily braided epaulets which almost looked too heavy for the slender
figure to carry.

The Generals hat was a Bicorn and was worn fore and aft and pulled down a
little low so it covered most of the Generals upper features. Around the
curved brim of the hat was heavy gold braid and a white feather was nestled
along the upper part of the hat. On the right hand side was a red and gold
cockade but at the very top was a circle of black. The high collar of the
jacket kept the General's head up but the hat still hid most of his upper
features.

For those watching it appeared the slender General was carrying far more
braid than he could handle but the lower part of his face was firm and the
lips pressed together in a straight line. It was noticed by those watching
that the General walked with a limp to his right leg and his left hand
appeared to be also suffering as his hand rested on the hilt of a very
fancy and expensive looking sword.

 Behind the General were three Colonels and the only difference was a
little less braid and they wore their Bicorn's sideways. From the ranks of
watching Officers there came a few soft whispers as some of the older
Officers recognised the three Colonels but mostly it was missed by most.

Behind those four in front were the rest of the Officers of the strange
group and they appeared to number about twenty four in all. Behind the
Colonels were seven Majors, following them were seven Captains and bringing
up the rear were seven Lieutenants that appeared to be mostly very
young. The Majors and Captains wore black Shako's with the red and gold
cockade tipped with black and the young Lieutenants wore a familiar flat
crowned black hat with a red and gold band.

When the group was only a few steps from the large group of Senior Officers
they all came to a halt just as the single drum finished its
rata-tat-tat. With the precision of well trained troops, the new arrivals
came to attention and saluted in unison and waited for the Prince to return
the salute before dropping their arms. The Prince turned back to the
waiting English Officers just as Mister Percy heard a sharp intake of
breath from Colonel Lewis and saw the younger man lift his handkerchief up
to cover his lower face.

Colonel Lewis at first did not recognise the young General but he did
recognise some of the Officers with him; for Colonel Lewis it could mean
only one thing so he quickly covered his growing smile so as not to spoil
the surprise that was coming for the other Officers. Colonel Lewis kept his
head down to hide the ever growing smile as the Prince began the
introductions.

"My Lord Viscount and Officers of His Majesty King George of England, I
would like to introduce General Don Thomasino de Toro; Knight of Spain and
commanding Officer of the 1r Regimiento Espanol Guerrillas. Don Thomasino
these fine English Officers are sent to help us rid our lands of the
accursed French."

As the Prince finished his introduction the General reached up with his
right hand and removed his Bicorn to reveal his face. As he tucked the hat
under his left arm the look on his face was cold and his eyes were like
sharp pin points as he looked over the stunned English Officers.

"Thank you Your Highness but I have made the acquaintance of most of
these...er...Gentlemen previously, I am sure they are well known to me."

Thomas found it very difficult to keep a straight face as he heard the
splutters of surprise and disbelief coming from most of the Officers as
they took in the young General before them; if he had truly been a ghost it
would not have caused as much surprise; or in the case of Marshal
Beresford, concern.

Viscount Wellington was the first to recover from the shock of seeing a
ghost from the past.

"Captain Marking!"

"No Sir, I am now known as Don Thomasino de Toro, a Knight of Spain and a
Landholder."

"Ahh...well...err yes, well Don Ahm Thomasino, I'm sorry young man but you
are still an Officer of England as you have never rescinded your rank in
any formal manner so I must insist on calling you Captain Marking."

"Sir you may insist all you like but it will not make it true. You yourself
declared me dead at Olivenca and that means I no longer have a duty to
England. Sir a corpse cannot be an Officer; unless I am mistaken and the
English army has taken to enlisting the dead."

"Young man you are being impertinent and I must ask you to retract that
statement or face courts martial for your unseemly actions."

"Sir you seem to not understand, I am no longer duty bound to your
laws. I'm a Knight of Spain and answer only to my adopted country and the
Cortes. If you wish to lay a complaint I suggest you make contact with my
superiors. There is also the matter of the misreporting of the situation
that took place at Olivenca as I am sure Marshal Beresford knows."

"What's this? Are you accusing one of my most senior and trusted Officers
Sir?"

"Yes Sir I am. Marshal Beresford has reported that I and my men volunteered
to face the French army in an attempt to slow their advance. These facts
are not only incorrect but tantamount to a downright lie Sir. The Marshal
was the one to give explicit orders for my corps to stand against the
French in a temporary redoubt which would have been nothing less than a
death trap. I had tried to dissuade the Marshal from insisting on this
action but was completely ignored and threatened with courts martial and
cowardness if I refused to obey his demands."

"I have heard nothing of this and I trust my Officers to know what is right
and most beneficial for the army. Do you have any proof of what you accuse
the Marshal of or even a copy of the supposed orders?"

"Yes Sir I have a witness to the orders even though the Marshal refused to
present me with written orders and I was dismissed before I could insist on
receiving any. If I may call Major Perrin of the 1st corps of infantry he
will verify the verbal orders given to me and could also state what he saw
at Olivenca prior to the French attack. If you desired further proof I also
have available Major Carterton who also stood with me at Olivenca."

The sudden loud voice of Marshal Beresford was heard before the Viscount
could reply to Thomas.

"My Lord I must protest, Carterton is nothing more than a cowardly deserter
and, as for Perrin the man ran from Olivenca when he had been ordered to
stand and fight by me personally. His cowardliness was continued when he
resigned his commission the moment the battle was over at Albuera. Neither
of these men have any veracity what so ever My Lord."

The distasteful discussion had caused voices to be raised and there was a
total silence in every part of the large gardens as everyone tried to hear
without missing anything. The accusations being raised caused some concern
in certain areas, the least of which was the ever silent and watchful
Colonel Percy Cruikshank. Viscount Wellington was known for his hard stand
on cowards but he was also well known for his sense of justice where any
accusations were made whether it was against an ordinary soldier or one of
his Officers.

Viscount Wellington looked at the two main protagonists, of them both he
was for some reason more inclined to believe the young man who had saved
his bacon more than once; it was time to make a decision.

"Gentlemen it appears we have something of a situation here that needs
further investigation. As I was not personally privy to what went on or the
orders given I will need some time to find out what exactly went
on. General Marking, at this stage I have to accept that your reported
demise at the hands of the French does allow you to accept the position you
have now found yourself in and we must all accept that you are now the
responsibility of the Cortes of Spain. The two Officers you mentioned may
have to be called for their report should it come to a courts martial but I
also have to accept that they were free of re-enlist with the Spanish
forces. Marshal Beresford we will have to discuss your report further but I
would suggest you withdraw your accusations of cowardness on the two young
men mentioned previously unless you have definite proof of their
cowardness."

"My Lord I must protest, those two young men failed to carry out my orders
which I personally expressed to them, in doing so they showed cowardliness
in the face of the enemy."

"What is your proof Marshal Beresford?"

"Sir if I may interrupt?" Thomas said before Beresford could continue with
his accusations.

"General Marking?"

Thomas took note that the Viscount was now using his new rank in front of
all the other Officers.

"Sir There was no cowardness on the part of either of my Officers. Major
Carterton carried out the orders of Marshal Beresford to the letter, in
fact Sir had not Major Carterton stayed behind to guard and protect the
colours we may all have been lost. Major Perrin was under my express orders
to escort the engineers back to Marshal Beresford's line as well as inform
the Marshal of the French numbers and route of advance so he could prepare
his lines accordingly. Major Perrin did not leave the field of his own
accord and twice refused to leave as he felt he and his men would be needed
by us against such a large force. It was only due to my insistence that he
finally gave in and carried out the duties I had assigned for him."

"Is this true Marshal Beresford?"

"I don't really know My Lord but as far as I am concerned young Perrin
turned his back on the redoubt after I had directly ordered him to stay and
fight. That the commander of the redoubt ordered him to leave is against my
personal orders to both parties; that My Lord smacks of cowardliness in the
face of the enemy."

Viscount Wellington looked at Thomas for a reply.

"Sir I have been informed that on his return to the Marshal's lines, Major
Perrin was ordered into the front line at the centre of the Marshal's army,
it was a blatant attempt to put him in a place of extreme danger in the
hope he would not survive the contact with the French; as you can see Sir,
it did not work and the Major then resigned his commission and came to join
with us so he could continue to fight the French; that is not the actions
of a coward Sir."

"Well gentlemen it would seem we have something of an impasse. Your
Highness, it would appear I have need of an urgent meeting with my Senior
Staff. I would ask you to excuse my Officers and I so that we can get to
the bottom of this affair with some urgency."

"Of course my Lord Viscount, I only hope it has not spoiled your day and
that you can find a solution quickly and justly. I hope your other men will
be allowed to stay and enjoy the rest of the celebrations while you
continue with your meeting."

"Yes Your Highness I am sure they would much prefer to stay and enjoy your
hospitality. Now Your Highness if you will excuse us so we can work on
getting to the bottom of this unfortunate affair."

As the English Officers strode purposefully past the other young Officers
of the Spanish corps, one of the young Captains smiled widely at Marshal
Beresford. As the Marshal scowled at the youngster he saw the Captain raise
his right hand with the forefinger extended and draw it across his throat
in a well known gesture, the Marshal noticed the very young Captain had the
last two fingers of that hand missing. Marshal Beresford scowled again and
grunted as he stomped away to follow the other English Officers from the
patio and out of sight.

Thomas watched the men leave and then was surprised when a voice close to
his ear spoke quietly.

"I'm damn glad you made it back to us Thomas, if there is anything I can
ever do; as little as it may be, then send one of your youngsters to see
me. It perhaps would not be a good idea for you to show yourself to often
at the Viscounts tent."

"Thank you Colonel Lewis and I shall keep it in mind."

"Good, now I better catch up to the others before the Viscount see's I am
missing. Good luck General de Toro, I hope you will keep me informed of
your whereabouts when convenient."

"I shall try Colonel and keep yourself safe as well."

Thomas gave the friendly Colonel a wave and then turned to the widely
smiling Prince.

"Well Don Thomasino that went better than we expected; I always knew you
were made of sterner stuff than the English gave you credit for. Ah Colonel
Cruikshank, I see you have decided to stay with us, perhaps you would care
to join us for the rest of the day? I am sure Don Thomasino would like the
chance to enjoy your company."

"Thank you Your Highness, I think it would be far safer here than anywhere
close to the Viscount at this time. So Thomas, at last we meet again. I'm
sorry I could not get to see you sooner but certain things kept me out of
the country for some time. You know you gave some of us quite a scare, we
actually thought we had lost you there for a few months."

"Thank you Mister Percy, it's good to see you once again and, yes there are
a few things I would like to get cleared up before the day is out."

"Good then let's enjoy His Highnesses hospitality while we discuss what you
have been up to and what your plans are for the future."

The rest of the day and evening went well even though the absence of the
Senior Staff Officers were taken note of by those attending the
celebrations and it was late in the night before the Ball finally drew to a
close and the guests began to make their way back to their homes and
accommodations. Thomas and his men soon joined the Prince and Colonel
Cruikshank for a late night toddy while they finally relaxed in good
company, there were still many things Thomas needed clearing from Mister
Percy and so it turned into a very late night indeed.

Thomas, Carmelo, Estaban and Lorenco joined Percy and the Prince in one of
the very well appointed studies for their late night toddy's. Before he sat
down in the thickly stuffed chair, Thomas ran his forefinger around the
tight collar of his jacket, the constriction reminded him too much of the
thick hard choker he had to wear as a drummer boy; it was not a pleasant
thought or feeling.

Seeing Thomas trying to loosen his tight collar, the Prince looked at the
others and said.

"Gentlemen, let's free ourselves of these coats and relax; it is not time
for formality, there has been enough of that for one day."

The Prince smiled as he saw Thomas smile and sigh with relief as he began
to quickly unbutton his heavy jacket and free himself of both the weight
and the uncomfortable tightness. With his jacket off and his cravat
loosened, Thomas took a sip from the fine Oporto wine and settled back into
the padded chair with relief. It had been a long and stressful day but the
end result pleased him no end.

With all of them now partially disrobed and settled back in comfort, Thomas
turned to Percy and asked.

"Mister Percy, why did the Council name the shipping company as they did?"

"Aha straight to the point as usual young Thomas. Well it had many reasons
but the main one was that no one in the shipping business really knows who
you are so it was safer for all concerned to use your name. I sincerely
hope you don't mind. Any ships that join your company will undergo refits
under the eyes of the Council whether in England or here in Portugal. There
is one thing though and I am sure you can work out the reason for it when I
tell you. The Council do ask that you offer them a tithe of 10% of the
profits which they will use in various forms to aid those in need. Do you
agree?"

"Certainly Mister Percy, it is the least I can do after what they have done
for me."

"Good then it is settled, I'm sure you will see the benefit in the long
run, especially when this damn war is over and the French have run for
home. Now then I want to know where you plan to go from here."

"Our plans so far are to attack the French behind their lines once
again. We are going to start to the north of Salamanca and try to infer
that we are surrounding them in the rear and cutting off their escape
north. If this succeeds then they will have to pull a great number of
troops away from the front to protect their rear, we will then move on to
other parts and do the same once again."

"That sounds exactly what we need and I also appreciate it is far more your
style of fighting so you should have great success. Is there anything you
need from me?"

"Not at this time Mister Percy but I may have to call upon you at a later
time. The landing of those guns has filled the one weakness we had and the
men thank you kindly for what you did."

"Think nothing of it Thomas, I'm sure some damn young artillery Officer
would have just wasted them or even worse lost them to the French, better
you make good use of them where they will do most good."

"We will certainly make good use of them Mister Percy, of that you can be
assured."

"I know they will Thomas, if anyone can do it I know you will. Now then
let's see how long this fine bottle of Oporto lasts before we have to go to
our beds."

For the next hour the talk was mostly on incidental subjects and any talk
of the war was ignored in the welcome companionship of good friends and
allies. The Princes celebration and Ball was the talk of the town the next
day as Thomas led his men out of Lisbon and turned towards Vimeiro, it was
time to get back to the business of war.

Thomas and his men had been back in Vimeiro for five days when he decided
it was time to make his move north and once again take on the French. Major
Smithson's maps now came into their own and the fine details went a long
way to making the planning so much easier.

As on previous occasions, Thomas had his small army split up for the move
north. They would leave at different times and advance mainly at night and
using the daylight hours to hide and prepare for the next day. With the
accuracy of the maps and the distances shown, it was easier for Thomas to
set the distance of march each day and pin point their final destination
for their temporary camp once inside French territory.

While the final plan had not been set in stone, there was still a general
feeling in the little army that they were going to give the French a bloody
nose. The final plan would come once they saw the layout of the French
camps around Medina del Campo. The retreat from the battle front of Medina
del Campo had also been set out so that each force could make its own way
if they were cut off or separated during the fighting to the next attack
point and camp site.

The movement of the army in its small units would take an estimated five
days at their normal fast pace and the need for the new guns to make their
way as one unit meant they could only move at night and would have to be
off the road before daylight if they were to be of any use to them.

On the 6th of February, Thomas found himself and his army looking down from
the high ridges into the large town of Medina del Campo. Far below them on
the open plains outside the town, Thomas and his men could see a wide
spread French camp. It appeared to be well settled and had obviously been
in place for some time. On the eastern edge was a large supply camp but the
sheer number of troops made it a bad bargain to just go on the attack with
any intent at gaining entrance into the depot to destroy it; it was time
for his new guns to find their range.

The plan was for Estaban to send his three troops of 100 cavalry to each of
the three smaller towns; Tudela, Aranda and Toro and for them to carry out
attacks on any French patrols or smaller guard stations. If they also came
across any supply trains that they thought they could attack with relative
safety then they would also attempt to destroy or interrupt their travel.

Thomas kept the two corps of Infantry with him to protect the guns which
gave him 300 men and Officers along with the 120 gunners if they came under
attack. The five gun batteries which also included the single rocket
battery would be the main thrust of the attack on the well guarded camp
below them on the wide open plains. The ridge they were on was the only
high ground for some great distance and Thomas knew he would have to pull
his guns out well before they could come under attack by the French.

Major Craven Morgan had assured Thomas they would get the best part of
seven or eight shots each before the French would be able to mount a
counter attack; it would then be up to Thomas and his Infantry to protect
them until they had hooked up their guns for the retreat to the new
proposed camp near Somosiera. The run for Somosiera would be hazardous at
best but they hoped the confusion they wanted to create below them would
give them the extra time needed to make their escape without hindrance.

To add as much confusion as he could, Thomas sent the 5th Battery under
Lieutenant Peter Wright to the east of Medina del Campo which had a thick
grove of trees on a low rise some 900 yards from the edge of the supply
depot; he would be the first one to fire which would then be the signal for
the heavy guns to open up from the ridge to the west at a range of
1100yards. It was almost at the upper end of the range for the guns but
with four Batteries that were spread out over the full length of the ridge
top but they would be well sighted personally by Craven Morgan.

Craven had spent a long time lying beside Thomas on the top of the ridge
and taking range sightings during the late afternoon, the plan of attack
was for the guns to open up at around midnight when the troops below would
be at their most tired. There was also the fact that there had never been
an attack on Medina del Campo and it was almost common knowledge that the
English army was trekking south and well away from the security of the
north.

For the whole of the afternoon, Thomas and his Officers lay watching the
camp far below on the plains through a new spy glass that Thomas had been
given by Mister Percy as a parting gift. It was a far larger one than his
small pocket glass and was often used by sea Captains, the increase in
power and definition made for easier watching and pin pointed many things
they would not have otherwise seen.

Even at the far range they were watching from, it was obvious that the many
guards in and around the camp and supply depot did not think there was much
to worry about this far away from the battles of the west and south. There
was a distinctive feeling below of boredom and safety, any rebel action had
been well away from such a large concentration of French troops and it was
felt that only fools would even attempt to make war on such a heavily held
camp.

What surprised Thomas the most was the lack of roaming French patrols; it
appeared they had not found the need to patrol outside the immediate camp
area and so Thomas and his gunners were left undetected as they watched
from above.

The 5th Battery had been given extra men so they could carry far more extra
rockets; the hope was for them to fill the night sky with as many rockets
as they could before having to pull back and make their late night run for
Somosiera. Thomas and his friends hoped that the fact of being attacked
from two side in the middle of the night would cause confusion and
disruption in any French plans to counter attack in any one direction and
would give them the time needed to also make their escape.

The plan to retreat for the gunners was far more dangerous than the 5th
Battery as they would have further to go and would have to take a long run
around Medina del Campo to the south and try to split the area between the
town and the far off Salamanca, they would have to be across the River
Carrion well before the French could have time to trap them with their
backs to the same river.

To make for a faster escape, Thomas asked Craven to keep his horses hooked
up to the caissons and close enough for the guns to be hooked up quickly so
they could make it out of there well before coming under fire from
below. It would be down to fine timing as during the day they had been able
to count more than forty guns lined up in the camp below although there did
not seem to be much interest shown by the French troops to set them out in
Batteries for the defence of the camp.

Lorenco positioned his platoon of sharpshooters about fifty yards below the
ridge top so they could act as the first line of defence if the French
tried to counterattack during the hours of darkness or once the guns
started firing. It was not normal for the French to try to attack at night
so it was all to Thomas's advantage to make use of the dark.

Normal army protocol insisted that most fighting was carried out in orderly
ranks and depended greatly on fixed manoeuvres set out by well laid plans;
in a situation that Thomas was setting up, the French would be at a
distinct disadvantage and the lateness of the hour would only add to that
confusion.

When the sun finally sank in the west, Thomas led his men to the back of
the ridge for the first hot meal of the day. When the meal was finished the
gunners began to push their heavy guns into place on top of the ridge, once
ready to leave they would manhandle them back to where the horses and
caissons waited and run for safety during the night.

As the time for the assault drew closer, Craven went from Battery to
Battery to make the final range checks, all of the guns would be firing
solid shot and they had been stacked neatly behind the guns ready for use
while the powder monkeys waited to run the powder sacks forward; it did not
pay to have the powder sacks too close when the guns were firing.

Thomas peered into the dark to make sure everything was ready. The four
Batteries had been spread along the top of the ridge with about fifty yards
between each five gun Battery, in the darkness it would give the appearance
of a far larger force as the French would only see the flashes of light as
the guns fired and the darkness would cover just exactly how many enemy
were truly involved.

Thomas stood to the side of the 1st Battery and looked down on the dim
outline of the camp below. Most of the cooking fires were now faint glowing
embers and only the still burning fires of the picket lines could now be
seen in the darkness although there were far more of them than Thomas would
have liked.

It was close to the midnight hour when they all saw the first sixteen
rockets shoot high into the dark night sky; while the first ones were still
in flight they saw the second set fired off, it was time for the guns to
add to the coming confusion of a night attack.

Thomas and his friends watched as the first rockets began to drop from the
night sky and finally explode only ten to twenty feet above the
unsuspecting camp. The shower of small sparks and flaming balls descended
on the dry canvas tents in an array of pyrotechnic brilliance. The first
sound of the explosions soon filled the still night air and it was only
seconds before the shouting started as the French realised they were under
attack from the darkness.

Before the second set of Rockets began to land or explode, the third and
then fourth were also in the air but they were almost ignored by the
panicking French troops as the heavy guns opened up from far away; it was
not long before the fires started by the rockets were joined by the sounds
of solid shot landing with great gouts of dirt and smoke in the middle of
the camp.

Thomas was relying on the wide spread of his five gun Batteries to cause
more confusion. The Batteries fired one after another with the first shots
starting at the left flank and then moving down the line. With the 4th
battery firing their five guns it made time enough for Battery one to have
reloaded and take over the next salvo.

In the darkness and confusion Thomas hoped it would look as though there
were more guns on the heights than there actually were; with luck the
French would think they were under attack from a major force.

The rocket Battery had been instructed to fire into the centre of the camp
where most of the ordinary soldiers were in bivouac. The 1st Battery had
been aimed at the main supply depot. The 2nd battery had been aimed at
where they thought the main headquarters were positioned and the last two
Batteries were directed towards the large cavalry lines on the outer edge
of the main camp.

Thomas was well aware of the damage the Cavalry could cause them should
they be allowed to get mounted and form a counter attack; it was imperative
to keep the cavalry units dismounted.

Lorenco had moved his sharpshooters closer to the camp as soon as it was
dark enough to cover his movements and he was now positioned within
shooting distance of the outer pickets. The number one Battery had just
fired its fifth gun when those on the ridge began to hear the smaller
sounds of musket shots further to their front; Lorenco had joined the night
battle and was hopefully taking care of the wide spread picket lines.

The 5th Battery was still firing rockets into the main area of the camp and
the many fires were taking hold on the dry canvas of the massed tents; with
all the fires, noise and confusion, the French had yet to try to form any
kind of defence or even attempt to form any sort of attacking force to take
care of the far off guns.

The 5th Battery had the use of extra bodies to carry spare rockets, they
were now firing their third salvo into the dark night sky and with the many
fires started they were finding it easier to mark their targets. The panic
in the large camp was now almost total as the earth shuddered under the
continuous bombardment of the twenty guns on the heights.

The ground inside the camp was becoming more like well tilled fields as the
heavy shot ploughed deep gouges and holes into the land while it also
tossed bodies around like confetti and the screams of the dying and wounded
filled the once quiet night air. Through his new spy glass Thomas could see
some of the Officers trying to restore order and form some sort of
resistance.

Thomas watched as what he thought were the last of the rockets they had
been able to carry take flight towards the now devastated camp. The 5th
Battery should now be breaking down their rocket ramps and making the break
through the trees towards Somosiera where Thomas and the gunners hoped to
once again meet up with them for their next attack.

Thomas and his gunners were still hidden in the darkness and all that could
be seen by the French below them was the almost continuous flashes of
massed guns; with the distance the French could not work out how many there
were nor the exact distance. Thomas kept close watch on the camp by
swinging his spy glass from one place to the other. It was fortunate that
he did as he saw the French guns finally being arranged to return fire at
the far off heights; it was time to make their move to Somosiera and
quickly.

Thomas called out for Craven Morgan to retire the guns after their last
salvo, ten minutes later and the ridge above Medina del Campo was bare of
any guns and in the darkness it would seem there had never been any there
at all. When the French guns finally got into position to return fire their
first shots hit only empty spaces; their attackers had already disappeared
into the vastness of the plains behind the ridge as they made their escape.

Even against the rumble of the fast moving guns Thomas could hear the
return fire of the French guns as they sent shot onto the heights where
Thomas and his gunners had been only minutes before. As they rode into the
darkness the bombardment of the French guns continued to rumble in the
night. At the pace Thomas and his gunners were moving it was not long
before the French guns faded into the night and only the creaking of the
wheels on the Caissons and guns could be heard above the fast trotting
hooves of the many horses.

As he rode at the head of the column of fast moving guns, Thomas hoped that
Lorenco had pulled out in time and was even now making his way towards
Somosiera in a more direct line; he hoped to meet up with him near where
they had planned to cross the River Carrion.

As far as Thomas could guess they had made a very good amount of damage to
the Medina del Campo supply depot and troop bivouac; he could only hope the
other units had also been as successful with their smaller attacks on the
other towns and would be able to break away in safety and meet him at
Somosiera for the next part of their plan.

While Thomas had insisted that they make as much speed as they could in the
darkness, he also thought the French would find it difficult to form any
sort of chase, especially if the amount of destruction had been as wide as
he had seen through his spy glass. It was a comforting thought that they
should be well out of range before the enemy was able to respond and try to
follow them.

One and a half hours after leaving the heights above Medina del Campo the
guns made it to the west bank of the River Carrion; it did not take long
before a large number of dark shapes appeared from their hiding places
along the river bank and greeted Thomas and the gunners. Lorenco had been
able to make a clean break from so close to the camp and had brought all of
his men to the meeting place in good order.

The river crossing took the best part of half an hour but, once on the
other side no time was wasted before they settled down to a steady pace
towards the east. They would have to find a good place to hide away once
the sun rose as it would be too dangerous for them to move towards
Somosiera until the following night where they would then have the safety
of the mountains to hide in until all the other units had found them and
rejoined for the next part of the plan.

Having to turn north once they were over the river to avoid any contact
near Segovia only added more time to their long trek. As the first glimmer
of dawn broke in the east, Thomas sent some of Lorenco's men out to find a
hiding place for the day; it would not be easy to do in the wide open
plains but he had little option if he wanted to avoid a head on fight with
French troops or patrols.

The final resting place for the day turned out to be a narrow gully that
ran from north to south and was barely wide enough for the Caissons and
guns to run into in single file but it did offer a very good means of
defence with its narrowness. Thomas looked over the excellent map that
Smithson had made of the area and saw that they would only be a half a day
away from Somosiera when they restarted their march that night; they should
be at the base of the mountains some time before midnight.

Thomas talked with Lorenco and asked him and his men to move out two hours
before the rest and try to locate a place for them all to camp once in the
mountains; but not too close to Somosiera as they did not want to warn any
French troops too early of their whereabouts.

Had Thomas known the results of the other attacks he may have been able to
relax just a little more as the massed gunners began to settle down for the
day and rest until they had to make the final push to their new hiding
place.

So far Thomas and his men had avoided any deaths or injuries; he could only
hope the others had been also as lucky. The other units had the hardest
part as they were smaller units and would have to rely on their mobility to
avoid danger or disaster. The mouth of the narrow gully was now well
protected by the two Corps of Infantry so the gunners could get as much
rest as they were able to. There was still a long way to go for safety so
every man on guard was as alert as the long day and night would allow them
to be.

Lorenco sent out his scouts to watch their back trail and, if possible, try
to gather some information on the results of the attack. Lorenco's men had
had a long night but they had been able to get a little more rest than the
gunners and Infantry and were able to find the strength to do their duty
once again.

It was late in the day and Thomas's men were preparing to continue their
trek towards their next destination when Lorenco and his men returned. They
all looked tired but the smiles on their faces told Thomas they had some
good news and so it turned out to be.

As they all sat around to eat the first hot meal in two days, Lorenco made
his report to the other Officers.

"Patron we went as far as the Carrion and the countryside was in an
uproar. Everywhere we went there were French Cavalry patrols and they
seemed to be in some haste. The ones we watched looked to be very nervous
as though they were expecting to come under attack from larger forces at
any moment. We kept ourselves hidden and just watched but the number of
roving patrols was far more than would be normal so it would seem our
attack has very much upset the French who must have thought themselves safe
so far behind the lines. From what we saw I don't think they have worked
out that we came this way as most of their movements seemed to be working
towards the south. It was a good idea to come east and further into their
lands, it is the last thing they would think we would do. Two of my men
crossed the river and were able to lay out a number of our smaller flags,
when they are finally found it should put the French at even further
unrest."

"Thank you Lorenco, that was a good idea I hadn't thought of doing it last
night but if they think we are once again in the field it should make them
draw even more troops away from the English front. All we have to do now is
to hear from Colonel Colosio and his men; hopefully they were as successful
and can escape without losses then the French should really be at a
quandary."

An hour after dark and the main part of El Toro's new army was on the march
again but this time not as urgently as before. The news that the French
were concentrating their searches further to the south gave Thomas a lift
and he hoped it would stay that way until the next time for an attack.



TBC.