Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

240 THE FRASERS OF PHILORTH, LORDS SALTOUN.
" 28th. — The enemy occupied the town and gardens of the palace, on the
opposite side of the Tagus.
" 29th. — Eetired at one in the morning over the Jarama river, and took
post on the Madrid road, in rear of the Puente Larga, which we were pre-
paring to destroy. In the evening marched to Cien Pozuelos, one league.
" 30th. — The enemy attacked Puente Larga, the mine of which failed, and
were repulsed with loss by the 47th regiment.
" Joined headquarters as orderly officer."
Wellington's retreat from Burgos obliged Hill also to retire, and while
with the headquarters Lord Saltoun accompanied them to Aravaca, the
Escurial, Espinar, Lavajos, and Villa Nueva de Gomez, where on the 5th
November he rejoined his battalion, which retired to Fonte-viros.
The retreat continued, and on the 9 th the battalion reached Salamanca.
" 9th. — Marched in the afternoon to Salamanca, and were quartered in a
convent. The first time we had been under cover, except at Cien Pozuelos,
since we left Afiover on the 26th October. Distance marched from Huelva
636 miles. Joined Lord Wellington's army, which had retired here from
Burgos."
With Lord Wellington's army the battalion retreated through Ciudad
Eodrigo, Gallegos, and past Fuentes d'Honore, until the 8th of December,
when the troops went into cantonments, and the Guards were quartered in
Viseu, Mondeo, and Spraida. "Had at this place marched from Huelva 800
miles, computing the Spanish league at four English miles."
The British army, after its retreat from Burgos, remained in cantonments
during- the winter, and about this time Lord Saltoun was elected one of the
Eepresentative Peers of Scotland.
In a letter to his mother of the 26th December, he wrote that it must
depend upon whether operations are begun early in the following year or not
as to whether he can return to take his seat in the House of Lords.
On the Sth of February he mentioned the severe sickness which had
attacked the troops, especially the brigade of Guards ; and in the same letter,
alluding to the censure passed by Lord Wellington upon the conduct of the
army during the retreat, he made the following sensible observations : —
" I am very sorry, but not surprised, at a certain letter having crossed