CIUDAD RODRIGO FROM THE BATTLEMENTS
When you walk around Ciudad Rodrigo, it is hard not think about the cold winter’s evening of January 19th in 1812, when Wellington, one of Britain’s greatest generals, ordered his army to seize Ciudad Rodrigo.
After a ten day siege, two breaches in the walls of Ciudad Rodrigo had been made by sustained cannon fire and the time had come to capture the most important citadel between Spain and the Portuguese border. Waiting for death or glory were two parties of Forlorn Hope, one for each breach, backed up by the main attacking forces. Meanwhile, other men waited for the order to take part in two diversionary attacks to distract the 2,000 Frenchman defending Ciudad Rodrigo.
It must have been a desperate time for the 25 or so men of each Forlorn Hope. All volunteers, they knew that their chances of survival were slim and all were fully aware of their task: to trigger a volley of gunfire from the French. As reloading a musket (or cannon) took some 25-30 seconds, it meant that the main attacking force could ‘safely’ charge a breach, whilst the defenders were reloading their weapons – having shot down the men of the Forlorn Hope.
In fact, despite the gallant efforts of the Forlorn Hope at the main breach, matters did not, initially, go well. The main attacking force from Wellington’s 3rd Division were repulsed by savage fire and the massive explosion of a mine by the desperate French defenders. However, at the lesser breach, the Light Infantry was more successful and the leader of their Forlorn Hope, Major Gurwood, survived, despite being blown off his feet. Advancing with his men, he managed to reach the French Governor and relieve him of his sword.
Pouring into Ciudad Rodrigo, the rest of the successful Anglo-Portuguese army went on the rampage. This lasted a long and dreadful night as the soldiers uncontrollably pillaged the town – notwithstanding that they were on the same side as the terrified and helpless Spanish residents. It was, of course, to be expected and would be repeated again (more terribly) by Wellington’s men after the brutal investiture of Badajoz in April 1812.
The problem with sieges was that they were brutal affairs for all involved. Worse still, for the Spanish in Ciudad Rodrigo, was the fact that the French Governor had not surrendered when trenches had been dug and workable breaches made in the walls of Ciudad Rodrigo by Wellington’s army. The convention of the time was that if a besieged citadel surrendered at this stage then the attacking army would be kept in check upon entering the city.
However, if the attacking army had to seize a citadel by force by fighting their way through any breaches then what happened afterwards was beyond anyone’s control. Blood crazed soldiers, drunk on adrenaline and any booze they could find would (and did) attack anything that moved.
Unfortunately, the poor Spanish residents of Ciudad Rodrigo had experienced all of this before – in fact, only two years beforehand. That time it had been the French army under Marshal Ney who had besieged Ciudad Rodrigo and who, after the town had surrendered, had pillaged the town.
Of course, now, walking around Cuidad Rodrigo in the blistering heat of summer, it is hard to envisage what happened two centuries ago. That is not say that the town has forgotten – particularly as this year (2010) was being celebrated by the citizens of Ciudad Rodrigo as the two hundredth anniversary of their brave (albeit failed) defence of the town against the French in 1810.
Nonetheless, for the casual visitor, I think that some appreciation of Ciudad Rodrigo’s history as a citadel is important – if you are to fully enjoy any visit. You can, of course, just walk around the town and enjoy it for what it is now, which is nothing less than a beautifully preserved town behind fortress walls. Stunning buildings, beautiful cobbled streets, gorgeous churches and fine squares are everywhere, together with museums and exhibitions.
At night, it is somewhere that is certainly romantic and perfect for intimate walks along the top of the town battlements with their commanding views over the river Agueda and the long rolling plains that surround Ciudad Rodrigo. Indeed, it would be hard to imagine somewhere better for a short weekend away with a loved on. Sit in the main square with a coffee and tapas and you could almost imagine that you were living a couple of hundred years ago…
I say a ‘short weekend’ away because we felt that Ciudad Rodrigo is simply not big enough to justify too long on its own acccount. There are other places to see, of course, such as lovely Almeida, which is close by in Portugal. Equally, fabulous Salamanca is not far away.
So, if you are in the area – go and see Ciudad Rodrigo and enjoy it (but read up on the history first to make the very best of your visit!). It is somewhere that has a place in the culture of Spain as well as our own culture…