Instances of great courage occurred almost daily during the Peninsular War. In one battle a private of the name of William Dougald, belonging to a Scottish regiment, was hit on the thigh by three spent balls in the course of five minutes. Though the pain was very great, he never quitted the front.
A few days afterwards, when another engagement with the French seemed inevitable, Dougald, who was so lame that he could scarcely move his legs, was desired to go to the rear. "No," he replied, "I will die rather than leave my comrades." Thus, he took part in the fight that soon afterwards began. Before 15 minutes had gone by, Dougald was out of pain and trouble, a bullet having stretched him lifeless among the comrades he loved so well.
半島戰爭期間，幾乎每天都有一些十分英勇的事迹。在一場戰役之中，某蘇格蘭軍團一個名為威廉．杜格的二等兵，五分鐘之內，遭三枚餘勢將盡的彈丸擊中大腿，痛得厲害，卻始終沒有退出前線。
幾天之後，英軍看來又要和法軍接戰。杜格傷處痛得兩腿幾乎無法走動。或叫他退到後方，他回答：「不行。要我離開同袍，不如一死。」戰爭不久就展開，杜格參戰，過不了十五分鐘，他就擺脫痛楚和煩惱：他被一枚子彈擊中，倒斃在他深愛的同袍之間。