Horses and Transportation

The quality and quantity of the horses available to the artillery in Spain was an eternal source of worry, even as early as 1808-1809. Due to the poor roads, or lack thereof, and the climate, Robe ordered that all horse-teams be increased:

“Every Artillery Carriage for Service in this Country, and Spain will require to be Drawn by Six horses; the Long 6-pounder guns by eight; and the 12 pounder guns by ten.

Each Light 6-pounder in Brigade therefore without more ammunition carried on its cars, must have 14 carriages, with six horses each, which, with the Riding and Spare, will amount to 110.

The Long 6-pounder in the like manner will require 123 and the 12-pounder Brigade 165”

He added, “Experience has shown that no less a number can move them in the hills and bad roads of this country!”

2^nd Captain Richard Bogue of the RHA in his diary mentions that in order to “preserve” the horses available, that guns, carriages and limbers were transported on large bullock-carts.

In 1808 Wellesley wrote on 8^th August that he was “Obliged to leave Spencer’s Brigade of Guns behind for want of means of moving them” and on the 11^th of the same month notes that he ordered 150 Mules to move them, but that they hadn’t been supplied. At a tribunal in November 1808 Wellesley states they he only had sufficient horses to move two brigades of the “lightest” six-pounders and one of 9-pounders.

Robe wrote in November 1808 that he had some 57 artillery horses and 6 mules, and that

“The Sick of these were reported to be in a very bad condition, and nearly the whole of them to be unserviceable from lameness, age and sore backs”

The lack of horses, and the poor condition of those in service, meant that out of the eight Brigades of foot artillery in the Peninsula, only four of them had horses to move their guns: the Brigades of Captains Bredin, May, Gesenius and Teiling had no horses. Lieutenant-Colonel Robe in a letter of 6^th March 1809 says that the

“Those with my two Brigades are short in numbers, and much too light in weight, and the Commissary General has mentioned to Head Quarters the almost impossibility of supplying us here”.

Indeed, the quality of British artillery horses had been raised as early as 1801 by Major General Lawson. He indicates that the draught animals were “rejected horses from the Dragoons…” Even the best horses were no match for those of the French cavalry, let alone their Horse Artillery. Furthermore, not only were the horses bad, but their number insufficient to make the transportation of the artillery anything like effective. An anonymous commentator suggested that the only way that British artillery horses could “better the Service” was by them being “boil’d to make Glue”.

In April 1810, Major Alexander Duncan was writing to the Deputy Adjutant General in Woolwich that

“We are at present entirely without the means of acting with a Light 6 pounder Brigade, that was sent here from Lisbon, in consequence of the want of Horses. There are also two 3 pounder Brigades. Captain Owen gave a receipt for one of them, in hopes of being able to act, as Mules were promised, but as no such promise has been kept, the Brigade remains useless.” Duncan also requested “What can be sent from England, I take the liberty of saying must be complete in Horses, Drivers and Camp equipage, and I fear we must in a great measure, if not entirely, depend on England for Forage”.

Duncan was still expressing his dismay at the lack of official action to the problem of providing artillery horses and feeding them over a year later, and demonstrates the improvised measures to keep the artillery moving. For example, Brigades were reduced from six to four guns; Alexander Dickson and Richard Bogue indicate that in some instances Brigades were reduced to three.

“Isla de Leon (Cadiz). 6 March, 1811.

Sir,

I have now the satisfaction of making a report to you of our proceedings since the 21st February, which my unceasing occupation from that time has hitherto prevented me from stating in detail as they took place.

On the 21st we sailed from Cadiz, embarking our three Brigades, viz. Captain Hughes, with three six pounders and one Howitzer; Captain Roberts with the same, and Captain Gardiner¹ with three nine pounders and a howitzer. From our scarcity of horses and the necessity of attaching six to each six pounder & its Carriages, and eight to each nine pounder, we were obliged thus to curtail the Brigades. On the 25th and 26th, the army arrived and landed at Algeciras and proceeded to Tarifa, the road to which being impracticable for Artillery, the guns and horses went round by sea, and the Detachments marched. As many mules as we could get together here in addition to our horses, were embarked for the conveyance of our reserve gun ammunition and that for the troops, trusting that as we advanced in the country we might purchase or procure others, but in this I was disappointed, so much so as to be obliged to leave at Tarifa a gun from each of the six pounder brigades¹ (the General being particularly desirous that the nine pounders should move complete) in order to forward a sufficient quantity of rifle and musquet ammunition.”

The lack of horses meant that not only was the British army in the Peninsula chronically short of artillery, but that the artillery that did have horses was not up to strength and could not move at their fastest rate. Furthermore, the companies were grossly under-strength due to illness, some companies being reduced to 50 all ranks.

From stores indentures by Harding dated January 1809 one sees that he was requesting “ammunition for eight pounders” in addition to that for light 6-pounders. The use of 8-pounders by the British is also confirmed by Bogue. Were these guns Spanish pieces or captured from the French?

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