This remarkable true tale was told to her by Hugo when she was aged fourteen.. remember that age if you will, for somebody in this tale was also that age. And come with us as we go zoom-a-zoom back, way back, in time two hundred and three years.
It is 1812 and the combined armies of Great Britain, Portugal and Spain are fighting the French in the Peninsula War ~ 1807 - 1814. Napoleon was, of course, the French Emperor in charge of the French forces and the British, Portugese and Spanish forces were commanded by the Duke of Wellington.
Amongst his regiments were the 95th Rifles, a 'Foot Regiment', so called as they were not a mounted regiment (cavalry) and they were deployed at a major battle, the siege and sack of Badajoz.
There had lived in Badajoz a family whose parents had died leaving two orphaned daughters, one being only aged fourteen. After the end of the siege, the sisters had left the city and sought safety with the officers of the 95th. Amongst them was a Brigade-Major, who fell deeply in love with the youngest girl and, against advice from his fellow officers, married her.
If he had expected her to be willing to be packed off back to his family in Cambridgeshire, he, and his regiment, was in for a big surprise! For the young married decided that a bride's place was with her man and she spent the rest of the Peninsula Campaign with him.
She was courageous, brave, beautiful and adored by both the troops and her husband's fellow officers including the Duke of Wellington.
At the end of the campaign, with Napoleon defeated and shipped off to Elba, they went to London and she learnt English. Her husband went off to fight in America and she went to live with his family in Cambridgeshire. He returned home after the Battle of New Orleans.
Then 'Boney' escaped from Elba and the military 'game' started again! The 95th deployed back into active service and our young Spanish bride went too.. to Belgium and anyone with half a grain of historical knowledge knows which battle went on then.. Yes, the Battle of Waterloo ~ 1815.
So she was there when her husband was reported to have been killed in battle, she refused to believe the report and after the battle, searched the battle field, a gruesome task, for his body. However, it was a man called Smythe who'd been killed and her man was alive.
Now, I know that ALL of you.. with the exception of any Military Historians who may have come across this post.. will be saying "HUH, ok, we've had Boney, the Duke, an officer, the orphan but what or where is the tie to South Africa?"
What an impatient lot of Dear Readers you are today.. for my tale is not finished yet.
First of all, let me introduce you to.. Senorita Juana Maria de los Dolores de Leon.. our orphan.. and to our officer, Brigade-Major Henry Smith, known as Harry. He went onto have a successful military career and was given a Baronetcy. Which made him Sir 'Harry' and her Lady Smith.
And now here's the end of this true tale.. for there is in South Africa and, named after Juana, a town called.. Ladysmith.
GeeGee Parrot.
April 7th, 2015.
PostScript: The tale is well documented from diaries written by Harry Smith and other officers who fought alongside him during the Peninsula Campaign.
It is 1812 and the combined armies of Great Britain, Portugal and Spain are fighting the French in the Peninsula War ~ 1807 - 1814. Napoleon was, of course, the French Emperor in charge of the French forces and the British, Portugese and Spanish forces were commanded by the Duke of Wellington.
Amongst his regiments were the 95th Rifles, a 'Foot Regiment', so called as they were not a mounted regiment (cavalry) and they were deployed at a major battle, the siege and sack of Badajoz.
There had lived in Badajoz a family whose parents had died leaving two orphaned daughters, one being only aged fourteen. After the end of the siege, the sisters had left the city and sought safety with the officers of the 95th. Amongst them was a Brigade-Major, who fell deeply in love with the youngest girl and, against advice from his fellow officers, married her.
If he had expected her to be willing to be packed off back to his family in Cambridgeshire, he, and his regiment, was in for a big surprise! For the young married decided that a bride's place was with her man and she spent the rest of the Peninsula Campaign with him.
She was courageous, brave, beautiful and adored by both the troops and her husband's fellow officers including the Duke of Wellington.
At the end of the campaign, with Napoleon defeated and shipped off to Elba, they went to London and she learnt English. Her husband went off to fight in America and she went to live with his family in Cambridgeshire. He returned home after the Battle of New Orleans.
Then 'Boney' escaped from Elba and the military 'game' started again! The 95th deployed back into active service and our young Spanish bride went too.. to Belgium and anyone with half a grain of historical knowledge knows which battle went on then.. Yes, the Battle of Waterloo ~ 1815.
So she was there when her husband was reported to have been killed in battle, she refused to believe the report and after the battle, searched the battle field, a gruesome task, for his body. However, it was a man called Smythe who'd been killed and her man was alive.
Now, I know that ALL of you.. with the exception of any Military Historians who may have come across this post.. will be saying "HUH, ok, we've had Boney, the Duke, an officer, the orphan but what or where is the tie to South Africa?"
What an impatient lot of Dear Readers you are today.. for my tale is not finished yet.
First of all, let me introduce you to.. Senorita Juana Maria de los Dolores de Leon.. our orphan.. and to our officer, Brigade-Major Henry Smith, known as Harry. He went onto have a successful military career and was given a Baronetcy. Which made him Sir 'Harry' and her Lady Smith.
And now here's the end of this true tale.. for there is in South Africa and, named after Juana, a town called.. Ladysmith.
GeeGee Parrot.
April 7th, 2015.
PostScript: The tale is well documented from diaries written by Harry Smith and other officers who fought alongside him during the Peninsula Campaign.
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