404 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



tion for the coolness and serenity 

 with which he withdrew this divi- 

 ■ sion to the left of the British army. 

 The nvimber of the enemy increased 

 on the right bank of the Alberche 

 as the day advanced, and every 

 thing indicated his determination to 

 give battle to the combined forces. 

 Aa dusk approached, he commenc- 

 ed a furious attack by a cannon- 

 ade, and a charge by the whole of 

 his cavalry, on the right occupied 

 by the Spanish infantry, with the 

 apparent design of breakingthrough 

 our ranks, posted as I have before 

 described. This attack was re- 

 ceived by an active fire, perfectly 

 well sustained, both of cannon and 

 musketry, which disconcerted the 

 purpose of the enemy and put him 

 to flight at a quarter past eight. — 

 During this time, a strong division 

 of the French advanced by the val- 

 ley to the left of the height occupied 

 by theEnglishgeneralHilljOfvvhich 

 with very great loss, they obtained 

 a momentary possession ; but Hill 

 returned to the charge presently 

 with the bayonet, drove off the ene- 

 my, and recovered his ground. In 

 the night the French repeated their 

 attack, but without succeeding, and 

 with great loss. At break of day, 

 on the 28th, they returned with two 

 divisions of infantry, but they were 

 repulsed by the brave Hill, who 

 could not be intimidated by their 

 repeated attempts, or by the pro- 

 gressive accumulation of the forces 

 of the assailants. 



General Wellesley, inconsequence 

 of these renewed exertions of the 

 enemy by the valley, on the left side 

 of the height, ordered thither two 

 brigades of his cavalry, supported 

 by lieutenant-general the duke of 

 Alburquerque, with the whole of 



his division of cavalry. The French, 

 seeing this movement, sent sharp- 

 shooters into the chainof mountains 

 to the left of the valley, who were 

 attacked by the 5th division of my 

 infantry under Marshal de Camp 

 Don Louis Bassecourt, who dis- 

 lodged them with much loss. 



The general attack commenced 

 by the advance of different columns 

 of the enemy's infantry with the in- 

 tention of attacking the height oc- 

 cupied b}' general Hill. These co- 

 lumns were charged by two parties 

 of English dragoons,under the com- 

 mand of general Anson, led by lieu- 

 tenant-general Payne, and support- 

 ed by the brigade of cavalry of the 

 line of general Tanne. One of 

 theseregimentsof English dragoons 

 suffered very much ; but this spirit- 

 ed cliarge had the effect of discon- 

 certing the designs of the enemy, 

 who sustained a very great loss. At 

 the same time, the French attacked 

 the center of the army, where the 

 English general Campbell was sta- 

 tioned, having on his right lieute- 

 nant-general Don Francisco de E- 

 guia, the enemy was driven back by 

 both these generals, who had their 

 infantry supported by the king's re- 

 giment of cavair)', and by the divi- 

 sion of lieutenant-generalDon Juan 

 de Henestrosa. This corps cover- 

 ed itself with glory in the charge 

 that it made on the infantry of the 

 enemy, during which it turned the 

 column by which it was assailed; 

 underwhich advantage, the English 

 infantry, protected by the Spanish, 

 possessed themselves of the artillery, 

 of the enemy. At the same time 

 with these proceedings, the French 

 attacked with fury the center of the 

 English army, commanded by gene- 

 ral Sherbrooke. The foes were re- 

 ceived 



