APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 403 



Bhals Jourdan and Victor, and by 

 general Sebastiani. 



It now appeared that the enemy 

 wished to bring on a general action, 

 by the frequent approach of his ad- 

 vanced guard, and by the occupa- 

 tion of Santa Olalla by the whole of 

 his army on the evening of the 26th. 

 His out-posts then approached the 

 allied army. Thus circumstanced, 

 at break of day on the 27th, the 

 position agreed upon was taken ; 

 and sir Arthur Wellesley ordered 

 general Mackenzie, with a division 

 of English infantry, and a brigade 

 of cavalry, to continue in tiie olive 

 plantation on the right side of the 

 Alberche, where this parly, com- 

 posing the vanguard, miglit cover 

 the right flank of the British armj'. 



The whole combined army occu- 

 pied an extent of ground of above 

 three miles ; the right towards the 

 Tagus, was covered by our native 

 troops, reaching to the front of Ta- 

 lavera. The ground on the left was 

 occupiedby the English army, open 

 to and commanded by an elevation, 

 where was assembled in a second 

 line, a division of English infantry, 

 under the orders of general Hill. — 

 Between this height and a chain of 

 mountains at some distance, there 

 is an inclosure, which, in the first 

 I instance, general Wellesley did not 

 order to be defended, because it 

 was commanded by the heiglu, and 

 because it was considered too dis- 

 tant to be useful in the approaching 

 battle. The whole of the ground, 

 on which the Spanish army was 

 drawn up, was covered with olive 

 plantations intersected by sinuosi- 

 ties, inequalities and cottages. The 

 great road towards the bridge of 

 Alberche was defended by a strong 

 battery, served by our infantry, in 

 front of the hermitage of Our Lady 



of the Prado. The other avenues 

 of the district were defended in a 

 similar manner. Talavera was pro- 

 tected by an appointed garrison, 

 and the rest of the Spanish infantry, 

 forming two lines, was placed be- 

 hind a village which is at the extre- 

 mity of the district, and formed a 

 line in continuation of the position 

 taken by the English army. In the 

 center, and betweenthe two armies, 

 there was a rising ground, where 

 the English had begun to construct 

 a strong redoubt, having in their 

 rear a small plain. At this point 

 was stationed the English general 

 Campbell, who commanded a divi- 

 sion of infantry, supported by the 

 brigade of dragoons of general Cot- 

 ton, and by some squadrons of our 

 cavalry. 



Our combined army being thus 

 arranged, the enemy presented him- 

 self in considerable force to our 

 view, manifesting, at first, an inten- 

 tion to attack the division of the 

 vanguard under general Mackenzie. 

 In point of fact, he fulfilled this de- 

 sign before that officer was enabled 

 to retire to his proper position, but 

 these gallant and disciplined troops, 

 which composed the brigade of ge- 

 neral Mackenzie, of colonel Don- 

 kins, the brigade of cavalry of ge- 

 neral Anson and their corps, sup- 

 ported by general Payne, with four 

 regiments of cavalry, posted in the 

 plain and olive grounds of Talavera, 

 retired in most admirable order, 

 but not without some loss in the 

 olive grounds, particularly two of 

 the corps of this division. The re- 

 gularity, steadiness, and fortitude 

 of all these troops, as well as the mili- 

 tary talents of general Mackenzie, 

 were conspicuous in every move- 

 ment, and this officer is deserving 

 of the highest praise and admira- 



2 D 2 lion 



