Read Online Flashman in the Peninsula by Robert Brightwell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robert Brightwell
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volatile fellow, completely mad.’
‘Mad sir?’ I asked, puzzled.
‘Oh, I do not use the term figuratively Flashman, I mean literally mad. He has been committed to an asylum twice already, but apparently that does not stop him serving as a Member of Parliament or as an officer on my staff. I complained about the appointment before we left and I got the reply on a fast messenger sloop that arrived yesterday. Here, let me find it.’ He burrowed around amongst the despatches on his desk before holding one up triumphantly. ‘Here it is, listen to this – they say that ‘he is sometimes a little mad, but in his lucid intervals he is an uncommonly clever fellow’. Then a clerk has added at the bottom of this letter that ‘the duke trusts he will have no fit during the campaign, although he looked a little wild as he embarked’.’ He sat back shaking his head in despair. ‘First my Spanish allies show that they are incapable of any sensible action and now I have lunatics appointed to my staff.’
‘Perhaps you could appoint Erskine to Cuesta’s staff sir, it probably could not make things worse.’
‘Christ knows what those two could come up with if they were put together,’ exclaimed Wellesley, ‘more training exercises for French cavalry probably.’ He looked me in the eye, ‘No Flashman, liaison with Cuesta is the job I need you for. After his recent defeat it will be harder than I expected, but I know you are cool under pressure. Compared to India it should be a walk in the park for someone of your abilities.’
‘I'll do my best, sir,’ I was wondering, not for the first time, if my unearned reputation would be the death of me. The trip to India had nearly seen me eaten by a tiger and blown apart by rockets, but at least here I spoke the language and could lie low if I had to. ‘What exactly do you want me to do?’
Wellington leaned over the table, pulling a map from his papers and laying it out between us. He traced his route with a finger as he talked. ‘In two days’ time I am marching north with the army to Oporto and Marshal Soult. Information we have from deserters is that their morale and supplies are low, so if we can get across the river near Oporto easily we should beat them.’ He stabbed the town of Oporto with his finger. ‘Then I plan to turn south and try to beat Marshal Victor before he can be joined by any other French forces. I need to beat these marshals one at a time or we will be overwhelmed.’ The movement of his finger became vaguer now circling a wide area in the middle of Spain. ‘What I need you to do is find Cuesta, see what is left of his army and make sure that he is ready to join me to beat Victor. I doubt his army will be much use but we need all the men that we can get.’
‘Where do you think Cuesta is now sir?’
‘Craddock has no idea,’ admitted Wellesley. ‘Many of his men fled north into the hills for protection after the battle at Medellin. I am hoping that they are at least holding the bridge here at Alcantara as that blocks the route straight into Lisbon across the Tagus valley.’ As he spoke, he pointed to a town on the map just inside the Spanish border where two rivers joined and then headed to Lisbon. ‘Go here first Flashman. If Cuesta has the brains of a woodlouse then he should at least have some forces here who can direct you to him, if he is not there himself.’
‘Do I have an escort?’
‘God yes, the hills around here aren’t safe for a single horseman, there are all manner of villains and bandits around. I can spare you a troop of thirty dragoons. Downie is going with you. He needs to find out what supplies the Spanish can provide as we head south.’
I sat back, and in my naiveté I did not feel too alarmed. Few bandits would take on thirty well-armed troopers unless they were guarding a pay chest, and the alternative was to march north with Wellesley and get embroiled in what would probably be a contested river crossing and
‘Mad sir?’ I asked, puzzled.
‘Oh, I do not use the term figuratively Flashman, I mean literally mad. He has been committed to an asylum twice already, but apparently that does not stop him serving as a Member of Parliament or as an officer on my staff. I complained about the appointment before we left and I got the reply on a fast messenger sloop that arrived yesterday. Here, let me find it.’ He burrowed around amongst the despatches on his desk before holding one up triumphantly. ‘Here it is, listen to this – they say that ‘he is sometimes a little mad, but in his lucid intervals he is an uncommonly clever fellow’. Then a clerk has added at the bottom of this letter that ‘the duke trusts he will have no fit during the campaign, although he looked a little wild as he embarked’.’ He sat back shaking his head in despair. ‘First my Spanish allies show that they are incapable of any sensible action and now I have lunatics appointed to my staff.’
‘Perhaps you could appoint Erskine to Cuesta’s staff sir, it probably could not make things worse.’
‘Christ knows what those two could come up with if they were put together,’ exclaimed Wellesley, ‘more training exercises for French cavalry probably.’ He looked me in the eye, ‘No Flashman, liaison with Cuesta is the job I need you for. After his recent defeat it will be harder than I expected, but I know you are cool under pressure. Compared to India it should be a walk in the park for someone of your abilities.’
‘I'll do my best, sir,’ I was wondering, not for the first time, if my unearned reputation would be the death of me. The trip to India had nearly seen me eaten by a tiger and blown apart by rockets, but at least here I spoke the language and could lie low if I had to. ‘What exactly do you want me to do?’
Wellington leaned over the table, pulling a map from his papers and laying it out between us. He traced his route with a finger as he talked. ‘In two days’ time I am marching north with the army to Oporto and Marshal Soult. Information we have from deserters is that their morale and supplies are low, so if we can get across the river near Oporto easily we should beat them.’ He stabbed the town of Oporto with his finger. ‘Then I plan to turn south and try to beat Marshal Victor before he can be joined by any other French forces. I need to beat these marshals one at a time or we will be overwhelmed.’ The movement of his finger became vaguer now circling a wide area in the middle of Spain. ‘What I need you to do is find Cuesta, see what is left of his army and make sure that he is ready to join me to beat Victor. I doubt his army will be much use but we need all the men that we can get.’
‘Where do you think Cuesta is now sir?’
‘Craddock has no idea,’ admitted Wellesley. ‘Many of his men fled north into the hills for protection after the battle at Medellin. I am hoping that they are at least holding the bridge here at Alcantara as that blocks the route straight into Lisbon across the Tagus valley.’ As he spoke, he pointed to a town on the map just inside the Spanish border where two rivers joined and then headed to Lisbon. ‘Go here first Flashman. If Cuesta has the brains of a woodlouse then he should at least have some forces here who can direct you to him, if he is not there himself.’
‘Do I have an escort?’
‘God yes, the hills around here aren’t safe for a single horseman, there are all manner of villains and bandits around. I can spare you a troop of thirty dragoons. Downie is going with you. He needs to find out what supplies the Spanish can provide as we head south.’
I sat back, and in my naiveté I did not feel too alarmed. Few bandits would take on thirty well-armed troopers unless they were guarding a pay chest, and the alternative was to march north with Wellesley and get embroiled in what would probably be a contested river crossing and
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