Notwithstanding all adverse counsels, we meet Lord Galway in the field on the 20th of September. The Marquis das Minas, who had taken Salvaterra in the spring, now joined the confederate generals, and Lord Galway managed to prevent the recurrence of those divisions which had happened about the niceties of command. On the 2d of October they marched to Badajoz. This was often spoken of as “Lord Galway’s fine march” — in which the forces passed the rivers Caya, Xevera, and Guadiana, and invested that considerable town, all in one day. The siege of Badajoz was progressing most hopefully, when it was checked by a casualty, which a correspondent from the seat of war thus recorded: “On the nth October, in the afternoon, a bomb from the enemy fell upon one of the batteries, and blew up the powder and also some of the gunners, whereupon the rest ran away. The Earl of Galway and the Baron Fagel repaired thither immediately, and found the platform spoiled and some other damage. And as they were upon that battery to encourage the soldiers, and had both their arms lifted up, so that they touched one another, a cannon-ball from the old castle came between them, took off the sleeve of Monsieur Fagel, and struck off the right hand of my Lord Galway, a little below the elbow. Notwithstanding which his Lordship continued nearly two hours at the same place giving his orders with wonderful presence of mind, himself alone in all the army being unconcerned at his wound. His Lordship was at last obliged to be carried away.”
The command now devolved on Baron Fagel, under whom the expected success was so much retarded, that there was time for a French force, marching from Talavera, under the command of Marshal Tesse, to accomplish the relief of the town.
The shattered arm had to be amputated a little below the elbow, and Lord Galway suffered much after the operation. One unfavourable circumstance was, that he was subject to attacks of gout. Another is mentioned by Burnet, who, after saying that “his life was in great danger,” adds, “the miscarriage of the design [against Badajoz] heightened the fever that followed his wound, by the vexation that it gave him.”
King Pedro wrote to him as follows:—
“My Lord Galway. — I the King, &c. The Marquis das Minas of our Council of State, and Governor of Arms of the province where you are, giving us an account in his letter of the 12th instant, that as you were advancing with great zeal for our service and the common cause, it happened that you were wounded with a cannon-ball of the enemies', which struck off your right hand. We think fit to let you know the great concern we had upon the notice of that accident, as well by reason of the particular esteem we have of your person, as of the great want there will be of you in the army during the time of your cure — assuring you that we shall ever have your great valour and conduct in our memory. And we order our envoy at the court at London, to represent to the Queen of Great Britain, our dear sister and cousin, the great satisfaction we have in your person.
“Given at Alcantares, the 14th of October 1705.”
His own sovereign gave instructions that Lord Galway should be informed of her sympathy, and of her entire satisfaction with his services. She also sent him what the Annalist calls “a donative towards his cure.” Oldmixon assures us, that “it was said and believed that the Queen sent a letter to my Lord Galway, all of her own handwriting.”
Lord Peterborough’s successes in Catalonia and Valencia having been announced to the court at Lisbon, “all possible assurances (says Burnet) were given the Earl of Galway that things should be conducted hereafter fully to his content. So that by two of his despatches, which the Lord-Treasurer showed me, it appeared that he was then fully convinced of the sincerity of their intentions, of which he was in great doubt (or rather despairing) formerly.” News came of the taking of Barcelona, and the concentration of the French forces towards it, with a view to taking it back again.
Accordingly, Lord Galway tells us,“I took a journey to Lisbon, even while my wound, upon the cutting off of my arm, was still open.” His plan was to march to Madrid, and get the submission of the capital to King Charles. Philip V., being without French succour, had left that city; but his Queen was there, and the grandees, and the tiibunals. He was unpopular; as yet he had no heir. And if the allied army had come up, the courts of law, and the leaders of fashionable society might have submitted to King Charles, and allowed everyday life to proceed under his sceptre, without any interregnum or confusion. A rapid march was possible, owing to the above-mentioned concentration of the enemy’s forces in the maritime province of Catalonia.
