A Polish Officer in Spain, 1808 to 1812 - the Memoirs of Captain Józef Rudnicki

Nov 4, 2026

English translation of an extracted memoir account by Captain Józef Rudnicki, covering his service and campaigns from 1808 to 1812 during the Peninsular War. The text outlines his regiment’s movement across Europe, including routes through Prussia, France, and into Spain, with specific locations and observations. It also describes corrections made during translation, editorial notes, and the evolving experiences from early orders to later participation in subsequent campaigns.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time37 min

AccessFree to download

Translation and editorial notes

Translator’s scope and corrections

Regimental movements and early orders

Return to Warsaw and promotion in 1807

Orders to march to Spain

Arrival in Spain and regional observations

Biarritz, Saint-Jean de Luz, and Irun

Tolosa and Basque-speaking province

Crossing the Pyrenees

Mountain terrain and travel details

Reaching Vitoria and changes in language

The Napoleon Series A Polish Officer in Spain, 1808 to 1812: the Memoirs of Captain Józef Rudnicki Translated by Mark Tadeusz Łałowski Edited by Jonathan North This account is an extract from the memoirs of Józef Rudnicki, published in Vilnius; 1862 (Pamiętniki Józefa Rudnickiego, which appeared in “Pismo Zbiorowe Wileńskiena rok 1862”). Rudnicki (1782-1849) was a captain who served in Peninsular War between 1809 and 1812, initially as an adjutant-major but later promoted to captain. His unit was the the 4th Regiment of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and he fought at Mora, Consuegra, Ciudad Real, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Almonacid, Ocaña, Malaga, Ronda and Jerez de la Frontera. He later took part in the invasion of Russia in 1812, the German campaign of 1813 and the final campaign in France in 1814. | | | --- | | Polish Adjutant from Jan Chelminsk’s L'Armee du Duche de Varsovie (published 1913). | In the process of translating these recollections some topographic names have been corrected, as well as the names of the Spanish commanders mentioned in the text. In many places the first names of officers have been added in square parentheses. Obvious errors have been noted by the same means. The translation into English was undertaken by Marek Tadeusz Łałowski in May, 2017, with Jonathan North editing the text. Following the successful campaign of 1806 and 1807 [in Poland and East Prussia] we returned to Warsaw in September, 1807. The city of Płock had been assigned for the 4th Regiment , but the 2nd remained in Warsaw. After staying here for some weeks I had myself transfer to the 4th Regiment, where I hoped that I might be promoted to adjutant in the battalion. This took place on 13 October, 1807 and I achieved the rank of adjutant-major. In April 1808, the commander of the regiment, Colonel Feliks Potocki, received orders to transfer his regiment to Warsaw and when we arrived there we heard rumours that we would then be directed on to Küstrin in Prussia. Infact, not long after, Marshal Davout raised the question with Colonel Potocki as to whether he might be willing to serve abroad if such an order came from Napoleon. He answered in the affirmative, noting that he would do so in any place deemed necessary for Polish interests. As we were preparing for departure, we received orders to march to Spain rather than to Prussia. Since I was ill at that time I only began my journey, along with a small party of a few NCOs and 106 privates, on 9th of September. The 4th Regiment marched through Prussia, Saxony, the countries of the Confederation of Rhine , and into Sedan in France. From there, with Rudnicki following on, they passed down to Bayonne and the Franco-Spanish border. Rudnicki’s detachment was there in October 1808. After eight days spent in Biarritz, we then set out [in October] for Saint-Jean de Luz, a town still in France, and , after crossing the bridge over the small stream [Bidassoa] that marked the frontier, we arrived at Irun, the first city in Spain. On the following day we reached Tolosa, a city located in the Basque province , where they speak the Basque language and which is so difficult that even the Spanish cannot understand it. We had by now already perceived a great change here from all the other countries we had seen so far. In the first place , the city of Tolosa is really filthy, the streets are so narrow that only two horses can walk abreast at the same time , and although the houses are constructed out of stone , no particular beauty can be discerned , indeed every window has iron bars over it , so it resembles not so much a town but rather the most secure of prisons. The residents of this province say that they all belong to the oldest noble houses of Spain , those which had enjoyed particular privileges in the country. It was from here that we started to cross the Pyrenees Mountains, some of the highest in Europe; indeed, they are so high that they are often hidden in the clouds and o

FAQs

Who wrote the memoir and what period does it cover?

The memoir is attributed to Captain Józef Rudnicki and the excerpt focuses on his experiences from 1808 to 1812, including campaigns tied to the Peninsular War.

How is the English translation described in the document?

The translation is presented as an English rendering completed in May 2017 by Marek Tadeusz Łałowski, with Jonathan North editing. It also notes topographic corrections, adjustments to Spanish commanders’ names, and additions of officers’ first names in square brackets.

What route and locations does the excerpt highlight during the move to Spain?

It describes the regiment marching through Prussia and Saxony into France, passing through Sedan and Bayonne to the Franco-Spanish border, reaching Irun, then Tolosa, and later crossing the Pyrenees toward Vitoria.

Nov 4, 2026

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