- Joined
- Dec 19, 2002
- Messages
- 22,510
The following account from the Retreat to Corunna (Peninsula War during the Napoleonic Era) is from 52nd Regiment Capt. John Dobbs' Recollections of an Old Man:
"...Brigadier-General Paget was ordered up with the reserve in support, and the 52d ordered to relieve the rifle corps (their ammunition being expended and most of their swords out of order) which we did in extended order sending the colors to the rear. Sir Sidney Beckwith met us, calling out, 'Come here with your bayonets, come here with your bayonets.' Reynett's company, in which I was one of the first engaged, and the first man hit was close by me; he fell apparently dead by the ball, it having entered the forehead and passed out at the back of the head, so that I said nothing could be done for him; but what my surprise was afterwards to find that he was not killed, the ball having passed round the head under the skin. On recovering his senses he was taken by some passers by to the rear and re-embarked; he was recovering of the wound when he was attacked by fever and carried off..."
The "ball" he was likely struck with was the .69 caliber ball of a Charleville Musket. Goes to show, there is no such thing as a magic bullet and no guaranteed one shot stops.
As a sidenote for you Sharpe fans, the 52nd was one of the regiments brigaded with the 95th (the other was the 43rd) to form the Light Brigade (later Light Division) under Gen. Robert Crauford.
"...Brigadier-General Paget was ordered up with the reserve in support, and the 52d ordered to relieve the rifle corps (their ammunition being expended and most of their swords out of order) which we did in extended order sending the colors to the rear. Sir Sidney Beckwith met us, calling out, 'Come here with your bayonets, come here with your bayonets.' Reynett's company, in which I was one of the first engaged, and the first man hit was close by me; he fell apparently dead by the ball, it having entered the forehead and passed out at the back of the head, so that I said nothing could be done for him; but what my surprise was afterwards to find that he was not killed, the ball having passed round the head under the skin. On recovering his senses he was taken by some passers by to the rear and re-embarked; he was recovering of the wound when he was attacked by fever and carried off..."
The "ball" he was likely struck with was the .69 caliber ball of a Charleville Musket. Goes to show, there is no such thing as a magic bullet and no guaranteed one shot stops.
As a sidenote for you Sharpe fans, the 52nd was one of the regiments brigaded with the 95th (the other was the 43rd) to form the Light Brigade (later Light Division) under Gen. Robert Crauford.