In this and future episode’s of Book 2 I have borrowed very heavily from the excellent ‘Sharpe’ series of books by Bernard Cornwell which describe the times, the country and the life in the army perfectly.
I have avoided using any names in those novels but in a few places I have used Major Sharpe as a cameo character.

We then made camp close by a mountain stream with a really welcoming looking rock pool which was half a mile down stream surrounded by a small copse of trees.
I decided then that I was going to take the time to wash the clothes I had been wearing for the last month and change into my one spare set of clothes. Anna unfortunately didn’t have the option of a change of clothes as she happily informed me!

But I was ready for this and answered her, “Don’t worry Anna, when my clothes are dry you wash and wear them while I’ll wash your clothes then once they dry we have a spare set between us - now come.”

I had told William that I was going to bathe and he and Captain Miles read the riot act to the troopers threatening them with dire retribution should they approach the pool.
Sergeant Gilroy then growled his threats, which seemed to have more of an effect on the men than those of the officers!

On Gilroy’s advice we each took a pistol (as he put it ‘just in case’). Anna grumbled, “But Miss how do I use it?” so I showed her how to use is and commented, “ Just point and pull the trigger – but we won’t need it.”

We reached the pool and I stripped down to my underwear and washed my outer clothes in the pool. Spreading these out to dry I stripped down to my drawers and proceeded to wash myself I only had the smallest piece of soap but it felt really nice to be clean. I had borrowed William’s razor and carefully tended to my underarms then I asked Anna to withdraw a small way and removed my drawers to wash the rest.
I looked with distaste at my small boy bit’s actually hating the sight of them. As soon as I was clean I put of a clean pair of drawers once again hiding my ‘secret’ I heard a scream from Anna then the loud sound of a pistol.
I felt under my clothes on the bank of the pool and retrieved my own pistol just as the Frenchman appeared holding Anna around the neck moving towards me.

With a smile he said, “We meet again Mademoiselle what a beautiful sight you are too.” I glanced down remembering I was naked from the waist!
He took his chance while I was discomforted and made a grab for me just as Anna got a hand free and managed to hit him where apparently it really hurts a man!
He stumbled and I pulled the trigger the powder in the frizzen ignited but the main charge didn’t.
We both knew that the soldiers would be arriving any minute so in desperation he made a grab for the muzzle of my pistol just as the damn thing decided to fire.
It had suffered from what William called a ‘slow burn’ caused when some of the main charge gets damp but there is enough of a spark from the frizzen charge to eventually reach dry powder normally a gun is left for at least 5 minutes to see if it goes off.

The Frenchman was lucky as when the gun fired the heavy ball went straight through the palm of his hand.
He let out a sharp cry; then as Anna and I ran one way he too fled into the trees and I heard the sound of a horse galloping away.
Just then William burst though the trees and taking in the scene before him ordered his men to follow the sound of the horse.
I saw him drinking in the sight of my exposed breasts like they were ambrosia as I restored some modesty with a fresh chemise I quipped, “You have to marry me now dear William!”
He blushed crimson – well I think he did because like Gilroy and the rest he was mahogany brown.
The bark of the baker rifle came through the air and a cheer the sound of, “Good shootin S’gent” was heard then groans I finished dressing and the three of us joined the troopers at the edge of the trees.

It would seem that Sergeant Gilroy had fired a shot at a moving target at over 300 yards and hit him – but the exuberance was short lived as Monsieur Ducos had managed to regain his balance and galloped off though he was twice wounded.
Captain Miles barked some orders and led a party consisting of the best trackers following the trail while Anna and I were taken back to the main camp.
I spread my wet clothes out to dry in the sun and settled down next to Anna. William came and sat beside me telling me, “While you were at the pool like Aphrodite we have received orders that we head for army headquarters at Braganca where you can be escorted back to Lisbon.

I was sad at leaving William but I knew it must be and anyhow it would be nice to dress as a lady once again.
So I settled down to wait for the small party to return and taking up where I had left off continued to teach Anna her letters and numbers – now more than ever I was determined to help her rise above her station and reading, writing and numbers were part of this.
After four days the party returned empty handed frustrated that Monsieur Ducos had eluded them so we broke camp and headed for Braganca Anna and I riding my trusty horse with the donkey carrying excess baggage of the troops.

The nearer we got to headquarters the more I wondered what mama and Edward would say to me despite of my high ideals for absconding I had let my brother down and no doubt caused hurt to my dear mama, I had been absent for 6 weeks now!
Realistically I knew there was nothing I could do about my reception but I still fretted.
As we approached Braganca William was marching alongside me when he gasped “Oh shit!”
Startled I asked what was the matter he just nodded towards the city and the open ground.
I still didn’t understand so I asked, “William whatever is the matter?” He looked up at me with concern and answered in a flat voice, “The Army has moved – this makes things very difficult.”

We approached Braganca and found the remnants of the army getting ready to follow the main army north into Spain.
Viscount Wellington had marched into Spain with 121,000 men his lines of communications had been moved from Lisbon to the ports in Northern Spain.

The troops complete with Anna and I had been ordered to follow the army at greatest speed into the mountains of Spain – which meant Anna and I would be going with them.
This caused William great consternation, as he feared my reputation would be ruined spending such a long time alone with him. He was voicing his worries to me when Miles passed and commented, “Easy William – marry the girl there is a contingent of padre’s in the camp getting ready to go north they can do it.”

I WAS ECSTATIC!!!! “Oh yes William then I can lie with you.” Realising what I had just said I blushed crimson.
Both the Captains chuckled and Captain Miles said, “There you are – that is an offer you cannot refuse the girl is obviously in love with you!”

And this was how I became married to William very unconventional but I suppose that this word applies to my whole life up until this time.
However before I married Anna and I went into Braganca and bought some new clean clothing.
We were allowed an hour so we had to hurry. We chose outfits in the Portuguese ‘Maja’ style (as these were all that was available) these consisted of a loose fitting blouse and a skirt that was slightly higher at the front than the back very loose so as to enable a horse to be ridden.
Over the blouse a waistcoat was worn the skirt reached below the knee at the front and to the heels at the back the skirt had numerous petticoats.
We each bought three outfits complete with a pair of flat slipper shoes (for best) and riding boots for normal wear.

My wedding dress was a deep red skirt with contrasting black petticoats a while light cotton peasant blouse and a red and black satin waistcoat I wore my flat best shoes and a black hat with a wide brim to shield me from the sun. This was so very different to what I had dreamed of but I was marrying William and that was the main thing.
An Army Chaplain conducted the wedding ceremony he looked most shocked at being forced into conducting such a service.
Anna was my bridesmaid Captain Miles gave me away while Sergeant Harrison (Williams second in command) was his best man.
The congregation - well that consisted of 55 troopers that had made a very special effort to tidy them selves up and resemble soldiers.

From inception to completion took 4 hours! I was a married woman! The most unconventional wedding ever but I treasured each second of it on the baking plain just outside the Portuguese city of Braganca.
Enough time was allowed to toast the bride and groom we had rough local wine then we were on the road north to catch up with the main army.
As the troopers were quick marching Anna and I had a horse each and three mules for the excess baggage of the troopers.
The extra horse we had bought in Braganca was, like mine a small mountain horse dun brown, sure footed and sturdy – about 14 hands high.
The mules that the troopers had ‘liberated’ were small mountain animals and carried all the extra supplies and water for the troops.
Before we left Sergeant Gilroy approached and shyly said, “Miss the lads would like to give you this as a wedding present.”
One of the troopers passed me a Baker Carbine, which was considerably shorter than the 40” barrel rifle they used.

I was overjoyed this was to me at this time the best present I could have received.
And I said so thanking all of them from the bottom of my heart. I checked it carefully loaded it and slung it over my shoulder.
William approached and on seeing my present exclaimed, “Charlotte where on earth did you get that?”
Proudly I told him, “Isn’t it not splendid William it’s a wedding present from Captain Miles men.”
He was dumbfounded commenting, “I daren’t ask how they got hold of that as it’s for cavalry use.”

Then we set off at the 95ths fast march! I could see why they had insisted that Anna and I rode the horses as the pace was punishing and we two would never have kept up!
They marched at what they called ‘Double March’ which confused me as I knew that their normal march was 140 paces but now they were doing 180 paces per minute, which was not two 140!
While marching at this pace their rifles hung from their shoulders horizontally (or as they called it at the trail).
They maintained this punishing pace for 50 minutes every hour with a 10 minute break.
Anna and I complete with the mules followed the troopers breathing and choking on the dust they kicked up. Every trooper carried a pack that weighed about 30lbs, his water canteen, powder and shot and of course his rifle, which weighed 9lbs.

There was a marked difference in the men at this pace. Gone was the good-natured banter and laughter, as they needed all their energy and breath for marching. At the rest breaks they slumped to the ground taking a sip of water from their canteens then it was off again.
They kept this up for 10 hours! And there was no distinction with rank William and Captain Miles marched with their men – this was a side of William I had never known about and mentally I compared it to how his brother and Clarissa’s brothers life differed they had a life in their regiments of privilege and relative ease.

We marched from northern Portugal across the mountains of northern Spain and the Esla River.
Apparently Marshal Jourdan’s army of 68,000 were strung out between the Douro and the Tagus so Wellington avoided them his target was Joseph Bonaparte’s army.
Also Wellington shortened his lines of communications by shifting his base of operations to San Sebastian on the northern Spanish coast.

We met up with the main army and met Wellington the upshot of this meeting was no one could be spared to escort us to the coast so we would stay where we were! However we had the opportunity to write letters home so I wrote to Edward profusely apologizing for my actions and begging his forgiveness.

I also wrote a short but very heartfelt letter to mama.

Dearest Mama,

Charlotte.

I also wrote a letter for Anna to her Midshipman it was very loving and down to earth so I had to put things more politely – but Anna cared for him greatly and with the speed she was learning to write would soon be able to write her own letters.

Captain Miles was summoned to meet with Wellington and later I too was summoned to his headquarters tent.
The meeting with the famous Wellington was interesting to say the least.

Wellington was a tall man with a fearsome demeanour with piercing eyes a huge beak of a nose and a haughty expression.
To say he chastised me was putting things mildly he called me all the selfish, silly stubborn girls under the sun making his feelings very clear.
I stood straight and looked him straight in the eye’s accepting the verbal assault I was verbally stripped and flogged when he had finished but I would not break down in front of him.

Finally after a twenty-minute tirade he stopped and looked fiercely at me ending with, “Young Lady we cannot afford the men to escort you to the coast so you will be remaining with the army for now.
For some reason Captain Miles speaks highly of you and praises your misplaced loyalty so you and your companion will remain with the Captain and your husband until we can return you to England. You may go Lady Charlotte.”

And with that he dismissed me like a common soldier. Despondently I made my way back to where the 95th were camped where I slumped down excitedly Anna asked, “When are we going back to England Miss?”
“You’re not” came the voice of Captain Miles. Anna gasped as the he carried on; “The two of you are coming with us god alone knows what he is thinking about but for the time being you are under William’s and my care!”

As the Anglo-Portuguese forces swept northwards in late May Anna and I went with the 95th ranging far ahead of the main army Anna and I were in charge of the mules getting food ready and tending any wounded.

The army and seized Burgos, outflanking the French army and forcing Joseph Bonaparte into the Zadorra valley.

In late June the Battle of Vitoria took place where Bonaparte’s army was routed the 95th took some casualties Anna and I were kept busy tending to the wounded.
Luckily most of ‘our’ troopers were not badly hurt as they were not in the massed ranks of the main army but concealed as their job was to shoot the French officers rendering the French army leaderless.
This was the role of the sharp shooters a lesson sorely learned by the British Army from the American war of independence.
We cleaned and bandaged the wounds and made the troopers as comfortable as we could.
Sometimes we received some wounded from the redcoats – these were horrendous wounds the massed fire of the French had damaged these men horribly all we could really do was comfort these poor creatures as we simply didn’t know what to do.

We both noticed that when these poor men were dying or had a serious stomach wound that would eventually kill them they always asked for their mothers and being female we could help them a little.

Historical Note – This note is longer than normal mainly because I watched the ‘Trooping of the Colour’ and thought how all this what is now pageantry used to be the way that armies fought in the massed battles. The complex movements seen these days used send the massed ranks into battle either in ranks, squares or in extremis circles.
Military bands have existed a long time but on the battle field the fife and drum were the main methods of communication between the officers and massed ranks of soldiers.
In the cavalry the bugle was the main communication method.

Using a butterfly bandage, which was made of an early form of sticking plaster and bandage they would treat ragged wounds. It was first attached to one side of the wound and drawn tightly to meet the other side and then being stuck to that. A bandage would help keep everything in place and allow the wound to heal together.
Stitches were made from cotton thread, silk or sinew and were used to pull together larger wounds.
Bayonets, swords and knives left deep puncture wounds were usually fatal if they were in the chest or abdomen as there was little the medical staff could do about them.
To treat these surgeons often let the wound bleed for a while to clean it of dirt or clothing material and in many cases actually increased the width of the injury to boost the exit of unwanted matter.
Even slight musket ball wounds carried the deadly potential of infection as well as being made from lead the projectile would take with it small pieces of uniform, as well as dirt.
If it hit bone then the resulting splinters added to the bacterial danger and there was always the risk of straight out just bleeding to death.
Deeply embedded musket balls - below the depth of a surgeon's finger - were regularly left inside the body and allowed to work themselves into a shallower position. Many veterans carried the leaden balls inside them for the rest of their lives.
An interesting statistic concerns the deaths in Army Hospitals between 1812 and 1814. Out of a total of 14,000 deaths only 2,700 died of their actual wounds – the rest died of bad hygiene and disease contracted while in the hospital.