Letters Written by Lieut.-General Thomas Dyneley, C.B., R.A.: While on Active Service Between the Years 1806 and 1815

By Lieut.-General Thomas Dyneley

The letters in this volume provide eye-witness accounts of some of the battles and sieges of the Peninsular War. Thomas Dyneley entered the Royal Artillery as a 2nd lieutenant in 1801. He was in Italy with Sir James Craig's force in 1805 and with Sir John Stuart in Calabria in the following year, witnessing the battle of Maida. In 1811 he embarked for the Peninsula with `E' troop of the Royal Horse Artillery, as 2nd Captain. There he served in the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Burgos, at the battles of Salamanca, Vitoria and those in the Pyrenees. In November 1813 he was invalided home, but was present with 'E' troop in 1815 during the Waterloo campaign. He subsequently rose to the rank of major-general in 1854 and died in 1860.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wagram Press
• Release date: Oct 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781787201576

Lieut.-General Thomas Dyneley

Thomas Dyneley (1782-1860) entered the Royal Artillery as a 2nd lieutenant in 1801. He was in Italy with Sir James Craig’s force in 1805 and with Sir John Stuart in Calabria in the following year, witnessing the battle of Maida. In 1811 he embarked for the Peninsula with ‘E’ troop of the Royal Horse Artillery, as 2nd Captain. There he served in the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Burgos, at the battles of Salamanca, Vitoria and those in the Pyrenees. In November 1813 he was invalided home, but was present with ‘E’ troop in 1815 during the Waterloo campaign. He subsequently rose to the rank of major-general in 1854 and died in 1860.

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Text originally published in 1896 under the same title in Minutes of Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institution, Volume XXIII.

© Pickle Partners Publishing 2016, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

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Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

LETTERS WRITTEN BY LIEUT.-GENERAL THOMAS DYNELEY, C.B., R.A., WHILE ON ACTIVE SERVICE BETWEEN THE YEARS 1806 AND 1815

Arranged by COLONEL F. A. WHINYATES, late R.H.A.

LETTERS WRITTEN BY LIEUT.-GENERAL THOMAS DYNELEY, C.B, RA. WHILE ON ACTIVE SERVICE BETWEEN THE YEARS 1806 AND 1815,

Arranged by COLONEL F. A. WHINYATES, late R.H.A.

DURING the preparation of the Swabey Diary there were brought to the notice of the editor a number of letters written to members of his family, and to an intimate friend, by the late Lt.-General Dyneley, C.B., during his active service between the years 1806 and 1815. It is to be regretted that some of the series are missing, but those which remain and are now published are of such interest and so entertaining that no apology is needed for their production. A few words about the writer of the letters by way of introducing him to the reader may not be out of place.

Thomas Dyneley (one of a family of fifteen) was the fourth son of Robert Dyneley of Bramhope, Yorkshire, Esquire. He was born on November 23rd, 1782, and as a 2nd Lieutenant entered the Royal Artillery, December 1st, 1801. He was in Italy with Sir James Craig’s force in 1805, and the following year volunteered to accompany the expedition under Sir John Stuart to Calabria, where he was present at the battle of Maida and siege of the castle of Scylla.

In 1811, he embarked for the Peninsula with ‘E’ troop, R.H.A., as 2nd Captain. There he served at the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo (wounded) and Burgos, at the battles of Salamanca, Vitoria and those in the Pyrenees, besides other minor engagements, being also wounded in the attack on the forts of Salamanca. In November 1813 he was invalided home and did not rejoin his troop till its return to England in 1814. He received the Peninsular medal and five clasps. The following year he accompanied ‘E’ troop to Belgium and was in the retreat from Quatre Bras and at the battle of Waterloo, for which he received the medal and a brevet majority, and in 1838, the C.B. He was made A.-D.-C. to the Queen in 1841.

He commanded ‘E’ troop from 1825 to 1834. Subsequently he was in command of the Royal Artillery in Canada from 1847 to 1852, and in Dublin from the latter date until his promotion to Major-General in 1854. Lieutenant-General Dyneley, who died in London in June 1860, married in 1827, Mary Frederica, eldest daughter of Edward Law, Lord Chief-Justice, first Lord Ellenborough, by whom he had three sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Edward Eldon,{1} entered the Royal Artillery. The second, Henry Ellenborough, entered the Madras cavalry. The youngest, Douglas, became Adjutant 23rd Fusiliers, and was mortally wounded at the attack on the Redan on 18th June, 1855.

His daughter is the present Miss Dyneley through whose instrumentality, together with that of her cousin, Miss Baynes, the following correspondence has been brought to light.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7

LETTER I. (To CAPTAIN J. K. DOUGLAS, R.A.) 8

LETTER II. (To MRS. DYNELEY.) 11

LETTER III. (To CAPTAIN J. K. DOUGLAS, R.A.) 14

LETTER IV. (To THE SAME). 16

LETTER V. (To THE SAME). 19

LETTER VI. (To THE SAME). 20

LETTER VII. (To His BROTHER ROBERT). 21

LETTER VIII. (To MRS. DYNELEY). 23

LETTER IX. (To MRS. DYNELEY). 26

LETTER X. (To MRS. DYNELEY). 28

LETTER XI. (To MRS. DYNELEY). 29

LETTER XII. (To His BROTHER JOHN). 30

LETTER XIII. (To CAPTAIN J. K. DOUGLAS, R.A.). 32

LETTER XIV. (To MRS. DYNELEY). 36

LETTER XV. (To HIS SISTER DORA). 49

LETTER XVI. (To HIS SISTER DORA). 51

LETTER XVII. (TO HIS SISTER JANE). 54

LETTER XVIII. (To CAPTAIN J. K. DOUGLAS, R.A.). 57

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 62

LETTER I. (To CAPTAIN J. K. DOUGLAS, R.A.)

Owing to the state of affairs in Europe in 1806, England sent troops to the Mediterranean and thus teas established in Italy and Sicily a garrison of the Royal Artillery which remained in those countries for some years. In July of that year an expedition of about 5000 men under Sir John Stuart was sent from Sicily into the Neapolitan province of Calabria to assist the forces of the King of Naples in their struggle against those of Napoleon. On the 6th, the French under General Regnier were signally defeated at the battle of Maida and the castle of Scylla was afterwards besieged and taken. Letter I. describes these events.

Though over-shadowed at the time by the victories of Ulm and Austerlitz, the moral effect of the battle of Maida had a most important influence upon the progress of the war. A desire to adopt a more vigorous military policy was aroused in the public mind in England, which resulted eventually in the Peninsular war.—Ed.

MESSINA, August 14th, 1806.

I doubt not ere this, my dear John, you have heard of our late exploits.

I sailed from Malasco about June 26th, arrived at St. Euphemia on the 31st, and disembarked at 1 a.m. next morning. Soon after daylight a few French gentlemen made their appearance; a regiment was sent to their assistance, about 180 were killed, wounded and taken prisoners, the rest they ran away, but soon afterwards gave themselves up as prisoners. Nothing extraordinary happened until July 3rd, when a sergeant who was straggling from camp was shot through the head by a Frenchman who had concealed himself in a bush. At 10 o’clock that night I received orders to march with two guns under my command, and after marching all night, at daybreak found myself on the plain of Maida; owing to the dreadful state of the roads only four officers were able to get their guns into the field, one of whom I had the honour to be. We advanced about three miles and came upon some skirmishers placed to lead us on; and a slight poppery took place. We then discovered General Regnier in a most beautiful and commanding position in a wood of full blown myrtle bushes as white as snow with between 7000 and 8000 men, including 500 cavalry, of which we had none. It was an anxious moment as we had only about 5000 men in the field. Had the enemy kept their position, I think, between ourselves, the wisest thing would have been to have made the best of our way on board ship again, for it would have been impossible to have moved them; but they were too confident of success. Their General told them the English were advancing loaded with riches and that they would go down, plunder and drive them into the sea. And sure enough down they did come, in line, in the finest order it is possible to conceive.

We halted, formed in line to oppose them, and then advanced. It would be out of my power to describe with what steadiness we came on. I was at this time on the right and about 10 yards in front of the light infantry. The French advanced firmly towards us, keeping up a tremendous fire of musketry which either fell short or went over our heads. When we were about 100 yards apart, Colonel Kempt, who commanded the light infantry,{2} with incredible coolness gave the order Halt! Throw down your blankets, shoes, etc.; then the order Forward! and in a few seconds after Charge! Our men reserved their fire until within a few yards of the enemy and then fired in their faces. The French turned tail and those who could run fast enough escaped the bayonet, the whole of the rest were either killed, wounded or taken prisoners;{3} in short, Bonaparte’s favourite 1st Regiment of infantry was cut to pieces. The field presented the most distressing spectacle, being covered with killed and wounded.

From the rapid way our light infantry went off I was unable to follow them, having to mount my guns on horses’ backs; however, seeing another body of our