1:52] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S12. 



its march after the enemy, part of 

 whom crossed the Douro at Puente 

 de Douro on the 27th, and the 

 remainder proceeded to the bridge 

 of Tiidela over that river. It ap- 

 pears that on the 21st Joseph 

 Buonaparte left Madrid with the 

 army of tlie center directing his 

 march by the Escurial upon Alba 

 de Tormes ; but hearing on the 

 25th of Maimont's defeat, he re- 

 treated towards Segovia. Nothing, 

 therefore, could be more timely 

 than Lord Wellington's victory, as 

 the delay of a very few days would 

 materially have strengthened the 

 French army. The rear-guard of 

 the fugitives maintained itself in 

 some strength on the left bank of 

 the Douro during the 28th and 

 29th : but on the approach of the 

 light divisions and cavalry of the 

 pursuers, it crossed the river, and 

 foUfflwed the motions of the main 

 body, abandoning Valladolid, in 

 which they left seventeen pieces 

 of cannon, much ammunition, and 

 their hospital with about 800 sick 

 and wounded. Parties of the allied 

 army entered that city on the 30th, 

 where they were received with 

 enthusiastic joy. . The central 

 French army, in the meantime, 

 had arrived at Segovia, with the 

 apparent isitcntion of making a 

 junction with Marmont's on the 

 Upper Douro. To prevent this. 

 Lord Wellington moved on Au- 

 gust 1st to Cuellar. On the same 

 day Joseph Buonaparteretired from 

 Segovia and marched through the 

 pass of Guadarama, leaving an ad- 

 vanced guard of cavalry. He de- 

 stroyed the cannon and ammuni- 

 tion which were in the castle, 

 carried off the church plate and 

 other valuable property, and levied 

 a contribution on the inhabitants. 



Advices from General Hill at this 

 time mentioned a brisk action be- 

 tween the allied and French cavalry 

 in the neighbourhood of Ribera, 

 terminating in favour of the 

 former. 



Lord Wellington finding that 

 Marmont's beaten army continued 

 its retreat upon Burgos, in a state 

 not likely to take the field again 

 for some time, determined either 

 to bring king Joseph to an action, 

 or compel him to quit the capital. 

 He accordingly moved from Cuellar 

 on August Gth, reached Segovia 

 on the 7th, and halted the follow- 

 ing day at St. lldefonso. The ad- 

 vanced cavalry, after passing the 

 Guadarama, moved forwards on 

 the 11th, and driving in theFrench 

 cavalry, about 2,000 in number, 

 established itself at Majalahonda, 

 luider Brig.-general d'Urban. The 

 enemy's cavalry returned in the 

 afternoon ; when general d'Urban, 

 having formed the Portuguese ca- 

 valry, supported by the horse ar- 

 tillery, ordered a charge upon the 

 leading scjuadrons of the French. 

 The valour of the Portuguese, 

 however, notwithstanding the ex- 

 ertions of their officers, gave way, 

 and they turned about before they 

 reached the enemy. They fled 

 through the village of Majalahonda 

 to a body of dragoons of the Ger- 

 man legion, leaving unprotected 

 some guns, which fell into the 

 hands of their pursuers. The Ger- 

 man cavalry bravely made a charge 

 and stopped theFrench, who, upon 

 the advance of other troops, finally 

 retreated ; but considerable loss was 

 incurred in this unfortunate affair. 

 The army moved forwards, and 

 on the 12th two of its divisions 

 entered Madrid, where they were 

 received with extraordinary marks 



of 



