The 13th were under the command of General Beresford
at this point in the Penninsula war. He was ordered by Wellington to
deal with Soult in the area of Badajoz. Beresford heard that the
French were withdrawing from Campo Mayor to the fortress
of Badajoz so sent General Long with the 13th and some
heavy cavalry to intercept them. Corporal William Logan
charged with his troop and found himself fighting the 26th
Dragoons, a French line cavalry regiment. He sabred a dragoon
who fell dead from his horse, but was spotted by the commanding
officer of the 26th, Colonel The Count Chamorin who took it
upon himself to avenge his dragoon's death. Logan and the Count
charged each other and engaged in a spectacularly single combat
both displaying great skill. With sweeping strokes aimed at the Count's
head, Logan managed to knock his helmet off and follow it up by
splitting his opponent's head in two.
Logan presented the Count's sword to his commanding officer
and sold his helmet to the paymaster.
The 13th pursued the French cavalry for ten miles without heavy loss
and returned in good order with prisoners and captured guns.
Unfortunately they had to relinquish these as there was no back-up.
Beresford, thinking that the 13th had lost, refused to commit
the heavy cavalry. The failure to follow up the 13th's success
was a big mistake and Beresford compounded this by giving
Wellington a bad report of the 13th's actions. This earned the
13th Light Dragoons the following rebuke from the Duke:
"Their conduct was that of a rabble, galloping as fast as their
horses could carry them over the plain after an enemy to which
they could do no mischief after they were broken...If the
Thirteenth Dragoons are again guilty of this conduct, I shall
take their horses from them and send the officers and men
to do duty at Lisbon."
Smarting under this aweful injustice, the 13th won their first
battle honour seven weeks later at the battle of Albuhera.
