The story of Antonio Chover - an unkillable Spaniard of the Napoleonic Wars (2 photos)

Some people's stories inspire us to never despair. This was the story of Spanish soldier Antonio Chover, who lived a life worthy of a film adaptation.

Antonio joined the Alcantara line cavalry regiment as a private in 1795 at the age of seventeen. After a distinguished career in the war, he, like many Spanish soldiers, was captured by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops during the Peninsular War of 1808-1814.





But it was not for some Frenchmen to hold the dashing Spanish hidalgo! After only two days in captivity, Antonio threw himself into the sea at night. He outwitted the sentries and gunboats guarding the prisoners and returned to service, reaching Spain. Continuing to fight bravely, he received two wounds during the attack on Toledo, which were described in documents as "fatal". But he survived and took part in the fateful battle of Talavera on July 27-28, 1809. For two days the French fought with the Spanish and British, and here Antonio showed himself heroic, killing a high-ranking enemy officer, an assistant to the commander-in-chief general. The French went wild, and Chover received twenty-one saber and bullet wounds, after which his body was thrown into a ditch.

After lying there for two days, he managed to get out and met another poor fellow. Together they reached a village, where they hid in an empty house. They were found by an elderly woman who tried to nurse Chover back to health with salt and vinegar. The second soldier had already died by this time.



When his wounds had healed a little, the restless Antonio set off on a 300-kilometer journey along mountain paths to Seville. There, having finally recovered, he re-enlisted in the army, fighting at the front until 1829.

After retiring as a lieutenant colonel, Chover married. A few years later, he was widowed and found himself: "burdened with his ailments and with no one to console him or give him the necessary medicine to soothe the discomfort caused by his poorly healed wounds."

Therefore, the brave pensioner, who was already 68 years old, applied for a second marriage in 1846. And he got it, marrying 17-year-old Valentina Teresa Cuevas Caballero. Apparently, Antonio was happy with his young wife, because the indestructible Spaniard went to his forefathers only on May 2, 1858, having lived in marriage for 12 years.