470 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



part of the ground was covered by 

 olive-trees, and much intersected 

 by banks and ditches. The high 

 road leading from the bridge over 

 the Alberche was defended by a 

 heavy battery in front of a church, 

 wliich was occupied by Spanish in- 

 fantry. All the avenues to the 

 town were defended in a similar 

 manner; the town was occupied, 

 and the remainder of the Spanish in- 

 fantry was formed in two lines be- 

 hind thebanks, on the roads leading 

 from the town, and the right to the 

 left of our position. In the center, 

 between the two armies, there was 

 a commanding spot of ground, on 

 which we had begun to construct a 

 redoubt, with some open ground in 

 its rear. Brig.-gen. A. Campbell 

 was pc-jted at this spot with a divi- 

 sion of infantry, supported in his 

 rear by gen. Cotton's brigade of 

 dragoons and some Spanish cavalry. 

 At about two, on the 27th, the ene- 

 my appeared in strength on the left 

 bank of the Alberche, and mani- 

 fested an intention to attack gen. 

 Mackenzie's division. The attack 

 was made before they could be 

 withdrawn ; but the troops consist- 

 ing of general Mackenzie's and col. 

 Donkin's brigades, andgen. Anson's 

 brigade of cavalry, and supported 

 by gen. Payne, with the other four 

 regiments of cavalry, in the plain 

 between Talavera and the wood, 

 withdrew in good order, but with 

 some loss, particularly by the 2nd 

 battalion 87th regiment, and 2nd 

 battalion 31st regiment, in the 

 wood. Upon this occasion, the 

 steadinessanddiscipline of the 45th 

 regiment, and the 5th battalion 

 60th regiment, were conspicuous; 

 and I had particular reason for 

 being satisfied with the manner in 

 which major-gen. Mackenzie with- 



drew his advanced guard. As the 

 day advanced, the enemy appeared 

 in large numbers on the right of 

 the Alberche, and it was obvious 

 that he was advancing to a gene- 

 ral attack on the combined army. 

 Gen. Mackenzie continued to fall 

 back gradually upon the left of the 

 position of the combined armies, 

 where he was placed in the second 

 line, in the rear of the guards, col. 

 Donkin being placed in the same 

 situation further upon the left, in 

 the rear of the king's German le- 

 gion. The enemy immediately 

 commenced his attack in the dusk 

 of the evening, by a cannonade 

 upon the left of our position, and 

 by an attempt, with his cavalry, to 

 overthrow the Spanish infantry, , 

 posted, as I have before stated, on i 

 the right ; this attempt failed en- 

 tirely. Early in the night he push- 

 ed a division along the valle}', on 

 the left of the height occupied by 

 gen. Hill, of which he gained a 

 momentary possession, but major- 

 gen. Hill attacked it instantly with 

 the bayonet, and regained it. This 

 attack was repeated in the night, 

 but failed, and again at day-light 

 in the morning of the 28th, by two 

 divisions of infantry, and was re- 

 pulsed by major-gen. Hill. Major- 

 gen. Hill has reported to me in a 

 particular manner the conduct of 

 the 29th regiment, and of the first 

 battalion 48th regiment, in these 

 different affairs, as well as that of 

 major-gen. Tilson, and brig.-gen. 

 Richard Stewart. We have lost 

 many brave officers and soldiers in 

 the defence of this important point 

 in our position; among others I can- 

 not avoid to mention brigade-maj. 

 Fordyce, and brig.-major Gardner : 

 and major-general Hill was himself 

 wounded, but, I am happy to say, 



but 



