Peninsular War Memorials

[rappahannock_rev]

On my 2021 Camino Frances I saw something I had not seen on my several previous passages through Astorga.

Leaving the Plaza Cathedral one fine September morning, headed for the Puerto Obispo, I saw a fairly large monumental slab attached to a home on my right. Upon examination I found it to be a memorial, presented in both English and Castilian, to the Peninsular War British General Sir John Moore (and his men): "En Esta Casa Se Alojo Sir John Moore."



Now, seeing that made me realize that I couldn't name more than one other Peninsular War memorial on the Frances (the lion monument in the Plaza Santocildes in Astorga). Surely there are others!?

 

[NorthernLight]

This is a period of history that interests me, so thanks for posting. I had an ancestor who was a waterboy at Waterloo.

I think the camino Frances does not cross many actual battle sites, although Burgos saw action, as did some mountain passes into France.

Various sites on other routes saw action: Vitoria, Toulouse, and Porto for example. Corunna was a horrible slaughter as troops and their supply supports tried to retreat.

I’d be interested in seeing some of these memorial monuments.

 

[mspath]

Surely there must be a memorial monument somewhere within the Pamploma Citadel.

Although this is not a memorial monument as such but a tidbit of North American urban development can be read in this earlier post re the Battle of Roncesvalles and the development of Upper Canada.

 

[Kanga]

The Battle of Corona, terrible. We are left with that unforgettable poem by Charles Wolfe - The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna.

Corunna was a horrible slaughter as troops and their supply supports tried to retreat.

I’d be interested in seeing some of these memorial monuments.

Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his corse to the rampart we hurried;
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot
O'er the grave where our hero was buried.

 

[Tony Lenton]

On my 2021 Camino Frances I saw something I had not seen on my several previous passages through Astorga.

Leaving the Plaza Cathedral one fine September morning, headed for the Puerto Obispo, I saw a fairly large monumental slab attached to a home on my right. Upon examination I found it to be a memorial, presented in both English and Castilian, to the Peninsular War British General Sir John Moore (and his men): "En Esta Casa Se Alojo Sir John Moore."

View attachment 129660

Now, seeing that made me realize that I couldn't name more than one other Peninsular War memorial on the Frances (the lion monument in the Plaza Santocildes in Astorga). Surely there are others!?

I don’t think there’s a memorial there- at least I didn’t see one- but from memory there was a battle in that war at Cacabelos. Apparently at the crossroads on the way out of town towards Villafranca. The vineyards around Valtuille were among my favourites of the entire walk. I also love the Bierzo wine they produce.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I don’t think there’s a memorial there- at least I didn’t see one- but from memory there was a battle in that war at Cacabelos.

There was indeed a nasty little battle fought at Cacabelos! Notable, as I recall w/o researching it, for the fact that a British rifleman shot across the river and killed at extreme range the French commander! Genuine Sharpe TV stuff! No memorial in Cacabelos that I know of....

The Peninsular War ravaged the Camino Frances from start to finish. For example ----- the famed medieval royal tombs at the S. Isidoro Pantheon in Leon, about which so much is made, are all in fact empty because French soldiers dumped the royal remains into the streets. They try not to tell you that at S. Isidoro.. ... Another example ---- Sir John Moore's angry and tired retreating troops got out of control at Villafranca del Bierzo a few days after the Cacabelos battle and gave the town a truly awful taste of raping, looting and pillaging. No memorial there either, for obvious reasons!

 

[Dickwilbur]

On the etapa that concludes in Salamanca on the via de la plata, you walk across the battlefield at Arapiles. No memorial but an interesting display board

 

[JJW]

There was indeed a nasty little battle fought at Cacabelos! Notable, as I recall w/o researching it, for the fact that a British rifleman shot across the river and killed at extreme range the French commander! Genuine Sharpe TV stuff! No memorial in Cacabelos that I know of....

The Peninsular War ravaged the Camino Frances from start to finish. For example ----- the famed medieval royal tombs at the S. Isidoro Pantheon in Leon, about which so much is made, are all in fact empty because French soldiers dumped the royal remains into the streets. They try not to tell you that at S. Isidoro.. ... Another example ---- Sir John Moore's angry and tired retreating troops got out of control at Villafranca del Bierzo a few days after the Cacabelos battle and gave the town a truly awful taste of raping, looting and pillaging. No memorial there either, for obvious reasons!

Hello Jeffery,

A Narrative of Circumstances Attending the Retreat of the British Army . . . (T. Egerton, 1809), PP. 27–8, 33–4.
ByHenry Milburne

This is a book, written by the doctor in charge of the care for the wounded and typhus sufferers, that details the circumstances of the retreat to Astorga and more.
A copy of the book was in the Apt. Fauno in Astorga. The apt. overlooks the Ayjuntamiento plaça where Milburne attended the many causalities, so numerous that they had to be laid outside under the arcades in the plaça.

Watching today the pilgrims and locals dining al fuera in the same square, the kids playing football and the tourists filming the automatons of the clock tower— and realizing the same arcades sheltered the sick and dying in wartime is something that adds great depth to the visitor’s experience.

Thanks for pointing out the memorial.

 

[dick bird]

On my 2021 Camino Frances I saw something I had not seen on my several previous passages through Astorga.

Leaving the Plaza Cathedral one fine September morning, headed for the Puerto Obispo, I saw a fairly large monumental slab attached to a home on my right. Upon examination I found it to be a memorial, presented in both English and Castilian, to the Peninsular War British General Sir John Moore (and his men): "En Esta Casa Se Alojo Sir John Moore."

View attachment 129660

Now, seeing that made me realize that I couldn't name more than one other Peninsular War memorial on the Frances (the lion monument in the Plaza Santocildes in Astorga). Surely there are others!?

There is a memorial in the grounds of Burgos Castle, which Wellington besieged unsuccessfully.

 

[Blister Bill]

Certainly a good peninsular war spot one on the VDP just before Salamanca where the camino goes right through the high ground where Wellington gave his orders for the battle of Salamanca and there is also a bust of the iron duke in the plaza. Recall on the CP you walk through a spot where the French were ambushed in the hills after Ponte de Lima.

 

[Tia Valeria]

After one of our Caminos we took a trip to A Coruña to see the Tower of Hercules. The taxi driver from the bus station took us on a detour to the grave of Sir John Moore, stopped his 'clock' and gave us free time to visit the grave. A worthwhile visit if others are aware of it. The grave is in what is now a park.

Having walked the Primitivo one can only marvel at the success of evacuating his troops in the dead of winter over the mountains. The 'Dunkirk' of the Peninsular Wars.

 

[Dickwilbur]

After one of our Caminos we took a trip to A Coruña to see the Tower of Hercules. The taxi driver from the bus station took us on a detour to the grave of Sir John Moore, stopped his 'clock' and gave us free time to visit the grave. A worthwhile visit if others are aware of it. The grave is in what is now a park.

Having walked the Primitivo one can only marvel at the success of evacuating his troops in the dead of winter over the mountains. The 'Dunkirk' of the Peninsular Wars.

View attachment 129709 View attachment 129708

Was there last week, currently closed with work going on. No dates for when it reopens

 

[mark connolly]

Yesterday was the anniversary of the Battle of Salamanca:

Battle of Salamanca - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I finished reading Napoleon's biography by Alan Schom. Spoiler Alert, he loses big time at Waterloo; which the anniversary was last week. The book does reference the Peninsular Wars, etc. (as you have mentioned, the Peninsular Wars pretty much led to the demise of the Camino). Perhaps there are other books which would go into better detail. If you would like a summary of the book, here it is: Napoleon comes to power, then rages war all over Europe. That is about 95% of the book right there. If you are a big fan of Military History, I think one would enjoy this book. Since I am a fan History, and not necessarily MIlitary History, I thought the book was ok.

Mark

 

[NorthernLight]

Bernard Cornwell’s series of novels about Sharpe gives a lively version of some of the history of that war.

 

[AlwynWellington]

No memorial in Cacabelos that I know of....

I found two, of sorts:

One was a painting depicting the battle in the dining room of Hotel Villa de Cacabelos.

The other was a plaque just over the bridge on the way out of Cacabelos.

I learnt at the time (October 2017) this battle was rear-guard action, hastily mounted by British forces to protect the withdrawal of the main body to A Corunna. And that it happened at a time (northern winter) when most modern-day self-respecting pilgrims would be hunkered down in their homes.

 

[Helen1]

Not a memorial but the military museum in Burgos has a section about the Peninsular Wars. When we visited the person on the desk spoke English and explained happened in Burgos and how it impacted the layout of the town . There are also various info boards around the castle if I remember rightly.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Here's my 2019 pic of the other Peninsular War memorial in Astorga. It honors the Leonese soldiers (i.e., the local boys) who fought against Napoleon. It depicts a great lion towering over a fallen eagle. It is in the lovely Plaza Santocildes.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Not a memorial but the military museum in Burgos has a section about the Peninsular Wars. When we visited the person on the desk spoke English and explained happened in Burgos and how it impacted the layout of the town . There are also various info boards around the castle if I remember rightly.

Small but excellent museum. It has a large scale model of Burgos Castle as it was before Napoleon's men blew it up in 1813. (Side note: As I recall, the castle explosion blew out most of the old windows of the Cathedral! They're not that far apart, these two.)

 

[JJW]

Here's my 2019 pic of the other Peninsular War memorial in Astorga. It honors the Leonese soldiers (i.e., the local boys) who fought against Napoleon. It depicts a great lion towering over a fallen eagle. It is in the lovely Plaza Santocildes.

View attachment 129967

There is also an excellent doner kebob shop on the corner just to the left of the monument.

 

[Karl Oz]

On my 2021 Camino Frances I saw something I had not seen on my several previous passages through Astorga.

Leaving the Plaza Cathedral one fine September morning, headed for the Puerto Obispo, I saw a fairly large monumental slab attached to a home on my right. Upon examination I found it to be a memorial, presented in both English and Castilian, to the Peninsular War British General Sir John Moore (and his men): "En Esta Casa Se Alojo Sir John Moore."

View attachment 129660

Now, seeing that made me realize that I couldn't name more than one other Peninsular War memorial on the Frances (the lion monument in the Plaza Santocildes in Astorga). Surely there are others!?

As a history buff I thank you for this. I'll keep my eyes open when next in Astorga. There are likely other famous/infamous sites along the way.

There was indeed a nasty little battle fought at Cacabelos! Notable, as I recall w/o researching it, for the fact that a British rifleman shot across the river and killed at extreme range the French commander! Genuine Sharpe TV stuff! No memorial in Cacabelos that I know of....

The Peninsular War ravaged the Camino Frances from start to finish. For example ----- the famed medieval royal tombs at the S. Isidoro Pantheon in Leon, about which so much is made, are all in fact empty because French soldiers dumped the royal remains into the streets. They try not to tell you that at S. Isidoro.. ... Another example ---- Sir John Moore's angry and tired retreating troops got out of control at Villafranca del Bierzo a few days after the Cacabelos battle and gave the town a truly awful taste of raping, looting and pillaging. No memorial there either, for obvious reasons!

Badajoz was similarly brutally put to the sack by the British army under Wellington several years later. No Camino link there though, just a tragic repetition.

 

[wisepilgrim]

Pilgrims on the Camino Portugués may encounter the “Monumento aos Herois da Guerra Peninsular”. Very tall and also with the Lion/Eagle motif.

And there must be something in Cacabelos!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

there was also a fierce little battle just outside Sahagun, around the Chapel of Our Lady of the Bridge. The Camino into town makes a little dog-leg there, and sends the hiker right past the door. Several years ago, a group of historic re-enacters recreated the motions of the battle, complete with mud and wiry little horses. There is no memorial. I think Spaniards have seen so much war over so much time they're kinda sick of it. They do, however, like putting up memorials to individual men. You see lots of those, but the average citizen can't tell you much about what the great man achieved.

The great memorializer of the Peninsular War, IMHO, is Francisco Goya. He was more than a great court painter -- the print series he did of the horrors of the French occupation and war are more journalism than anything, and they're positively hair-raising.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I think Spaniards have seen so much war over so much time they're kinda sick of it. They do, however, like putting up memorials to individual men. You see lots of those,

Excellent observation! I hadn't thought of it that way.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

there was also a fierce little battle just outside Sahagun, around the Chapel of Our Lady of the Bridge. The Camino into town makes a little dog-leg there, and sends the hiker right past the door. S

Every time I passed through Sahagun I wondered where the battle had been fought. I assumed for some reason that it had been fought south of the town. But your post sent me flying to my maps and you're absolutely right! Next time I cross that little bridge by the chapel I'll lift a glass to you! .... It was after the battle of Sahagun that Sir John Moore's expeditionary force began its heroic and harrowing retreat to Corunna.

I've always loved that chapel and often paused there to pray and reflect on my many blessings. I remember once chatting there with an English couple, and telling them that the chapel figures notably in a novel by Rebekah Scott, The Moorish Whore.

 

[AlwynWellington]

And there must be something in Cacabelos!

I learnt on returning home,this was an impromptu rear guard action fought on a very narrow front - the bridge itself - on the western outskirts of the town. Short and sharp.

As I understand it, no local forces were involved.

Accordingly, a plaque new the western side of the bridge may be all that is appropriate.

Wikipedia says 200 casualties (dead and wounded) on each side. The true memorials may be where the dead lie.

PS:
Ka mate, ka ora (tis death, tis life) was composed about this time far, far away from Cacabelos, but following a similar skirmish (sans chevaux).

 

[NorthernLight]

there was also a fierce little battle just outside Sahagun, around the Chapel of Our Lady of the Bridge. The Camino into town makes a little dog-leg there, and sends the hiker right past the door. Several years ago, a group of historic re-enacters recreated the motions of the battle, complete with mud and wiry little horses. There is no memorial.

I was always distracted at that spot by the statue of King Alfonso (VI-?) and the associated history of that particular era. And now that the good Rev has reminded me of your lovely book, now I know where that chapel was! A good reminder that history doesn’t happen just once.

 

[Blister Bill]

PS:
Ka mate, ka ora (tis death, tis life) was composed about this time far, far away from Cacabelos, but following a similar skirmish (sans chevaux).

Not sure an intertribal skirmish in NZ is a good comparison let alone relevant but you may wish to do a bit of research on the origins of this haka. As with most things in our fair land having to rely on oral traditions results in multiple derivatives.

 

[AlwynWellington]

but you may wish to do a bit of research on the origins of this haka.

@Blister Bill, kia ora and not quite clear what is in your mind.

And the British / French skirmish of that era was not inter-tribal?

Ka mate was de rigeur at my secondary school: we learnt some of its history then, and I've picked up a bit more since.

At the end of a week long activity some 50 years ago in Manchester, England, with about 60 from the UK present, a Belgian and me, I started Ka mate and slid iinto my oration saying the rangatira Te Rauparaha would have and likened them to ... About 30 of the 60 present were comfortable with my oration, but the other 30 (the ones causing the fuss), well ...

And I also spoke Ka mate at the end of the tour of Wellington Tunnel in Arras as a response to what the 16 or so in our group had seen and linked Ka mate of the 100 years before to the relative Ka ora of today. All in the group sought me out to know more. Including my allusion as to how ka ora got into the script.

What is your connection to these matters?

Kia kaha

 

[Blister Bill]

Hi Alwyn, at the risk of giving this oxygen what I was thinking was that it had no relevance in a discussion of peninsular war sites and memorials. The peninsular war was a key factor in the defeat of Napoleon. The campaign fought over 8 years had global consequences so a little more than an inter-tribal skirmish albeit I understand your attempt to corelate conflict between significant nation states with hapu and iwi. The point is that a bit of research will I think lead you to the conclusion that Te Rauparaha was not the author of Ka Mate, contrary to your schoolboy traditions. Its origins are most probably in Polynesian seafaring chants but it has been used extensively by other tribes throughout the country including at wedding ceremonies and some tribes had peace making versions. Luckily there is significant evidence, recorded in the 19th century, showing the widespread and intertribal use and descriptions of it as being ancient, suggesting it was not an early 19th century construct of the temporary inhabitant of a kumara pit ! Happy to discuss further directly rather than divert this thread further. Cheers Bill