The first fight in which the British 43rd Regiment took part in the Peninsular War* was that on the Coa in 1810. The regiment was beaten by the French and the only way of retreat was the bridge over the Coa.
A gigantic Ulsterman named Stewart, nicknamed "The Boy" because he was only 19 years of age, was one of the last to reach the bridge. He refused to cross it. Turning round, he regarded the French with a grim look, and said, "So! This is the end of our boasting. This is our first battle, and we retreat! The Boy Stewart will not live to hear that said." Then striding forward, he fell furiously on the nearest of the enemy with his bayonet, refused the quarter they seemed desirous of granting, and died fighting in the midst of them.
半島戰爭*之中，英國第四十三軍團一八一零年在科亞河第一次和法軍接戰，不敵敗退，但撤退之路，只有河上那條橋。
最後走到橋畔的將士之中，有一個身材魁梧的北愛爾蘭人，名叫斯圖亞特，綽號「小夥子」，因為他只有十九歲。他不肯過橋，轉過身，一臉肅殺，望着法軍說：「事到如此，我們還誇甚麼口。這是我們第一場戰役，而我們竟然敗退！小夥子斯圖亞特寧願死去，不聽人家說這樣的事。」他大步上前，拿刺刀向靠近的敵軍猛力衝殺，法軍雖然似乎有意饒他一命，他卻毫不領情，終於戰死。*半島戰爭指英國和西班牙合力對付拿破崙的十六年戰爭。