Agnes Reston
Encyclopedia
Agnes Reston was a Scottish
wartime nurse during the Peninsular War
. She has become known as the Heroine of Matagorda, for her outstanding bravery.
, to the small fort at Matagorda, near Cadiz
. When the fort was bombarded by French forces, she removed her son to the safety of the bomb-proof before assisting the surgeon in dressing the fast-increasing numbers of wounded men, tearing up the family’s linen for bandages.
A young drummer boy, instructed to get water for the surgeon, lingered at the door with his bucket, Mrs Reston said "the poor thing’s frightened, and no wonder at it. Give it to me and I’ll go for it." Amid the dreadful discharge of artillery playing on the battery, Mrs Reston made for the well and let down the bucket. Unfortunately, the rope was cut by a shot. This did not stop Mrs Reston, who asked a sailor to help her retrieve the bucket, which she successfully filled with water and took back to the bomb-proof to continue her work.
Her attention to the wounded soldiers was described as beyond all praise. In between her nursing duties, she carried sand bags for repair of the battery, handed along ammunition, and supplied the gunners with wine and water. She refused to leave when the other women in the battery were removed to safety, and remained with the men in the now-dilapidated fort with little ammunition, until the following day brought the withdrawal of the French forces which allowed the fort to receive fresh ammunition before what remained for the British garrison was withdrawn to the fleet. After her husband’s discharge some officers suggested to Mrs Reston that she apply for support. The Commander-in-Chief warmly recommended her case to the Secretary of War, but he judged he had no funds at his disposal for such a purpose.
, having recently moved with other inmates from the old lunatic asylum. She was by now 72 years old, and gained a livelihood as a sick nurse. A committee of officers launched an appeal for "this truly valiant and deserving, though sadly neglected woman." Amongst the subscribers to the appeal were Queen Victoria and the dowager Queen Adelaide
, although ninety per cent of the subscriptions came from the military. The collection secured an annuity for Mrs Reston of £30 a year. She was now independent, but, as her home had long been broken up, she preferred to remain in the hospital, paying for her board. After setting aside sufficient for her funeral expenses, anything left she gave to charity.
Mrs Reston died on Christmas Eve, 1856, at the age of 85, after being confined to bed for eight weeks, and was buried in Glasgow's Southern Necropolis. The gravestone stands at the north-eastern corner of the cemetery, with the inscription:
The Heroine of Matagorda is the subject of A Humble Heroine, a poem by William McGonagall.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
wartime nurse during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. She has become known as the Heroine of Matagorda, for her outstanding bravery.
Wartime actions
Agnes Reston was the wife of James Reston, a sergeant in the 94th (Scotch Brigade) Regiment. With their four-year-old son, she accompanied her husband when in 1810 he was posted to SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, to the small fort at Matagorda, near Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
. When the fort was bombarded by French forces, she removed her son to the safety of the bomb-proof before assisting the surgeon in dressing the fast-increasing numbers of wounded men, tearing up the family’s linen for bandages.
A young drummer boy, instructed to get water for the surgeon, lingered at the door with his bucket, Mrs Reston said "the poor thing’s frightened, and no wonder at it. Give it to me and I’ll go for it." Amid the dreadful discharge of artillery playing on the battery, Mrs Reston made for the well and let down the bucket. Unfortunately, the rope was cut by a shot. This did not stop Mrs Reston, who asked a sailor to help her retrieve the bucket, which she successfully filled with water and took back to the bomb-proof to continue her work.
Her attention to the wounded soldiers was described as beyond all praise. In between her nursing duties, she carried sand bags for repair of the battery, handed along ammunition, and supplied the gunners with wine and water. She refused to leave when the other women in the battery were removed to safety, and remained with the men in the now-dilapidated fort with little ammunition, until the following day brought the withdrawal of the French forces which allowed the fort to receive fresh ammunition before what remained for the British garrison was withdrawn to the fleet. After her husband’s discharge some officers suggested to Mrs Reston that she apply for support. The Commander-in-Chief warmly recommended her case to the Secretary of War, but he judged he had no funds at his disposal for such a purpose.
Later life
By 1844, the widowed Mrs Reston had been reduced to pauperism, and was an inmate in the Town’s Hospital in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, having recently moved with other inmates from the old lunatic asylum. She was by now 72 years old, and gained a livelihood as a sick nurse. A committee of officers launched an appeal for "this truly valiant and deserving, though sadly neglected woman." Amongst the subscribers to the appeal were Queen Victoria and the dowager Queen Adelaide
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
, although ninety per cent of the subscriptions came from the military. The collection secured an annuity for Mrs Reston of £30 a year. She was now independent, but, as her home had long been broken up, she preferred to remain in the hospital, paying for her board. After setting aside sufficient for her funeral expenses, anything left she gave to charity.
Mrs Reston died on Christmas Eve, 1856, at the age of 85, after being confined to bed for eight weeks, and was buried in Glasgow's Southern Necropolis. The gravestone stands at the north-eastern corner of the cemetery, with the inscription:
The Heroine of Matagorda is the subject of A Humble Heroine, a poem by William McGonagall.
Sources
- Joseph Donaldson: Eventful Life of a Soldier, as quoted in the Glasgow Herald, 26 December 1856.
- A Humble Heroine, by William McGonagall
- Glasgow Herald: 11 March 1844, 10 May 1844 & 23 August 1844.