246 
INGILBY DIARY. 
28 th. Yinho. 
29th. Oortico. 
3ist. Crossed the Mondego at a ford (having passed through Celerico), 
and marched upon Guarda, where we expected to have found the 
enemy, but they had hastily retreated. 
2 nd. Bivouacked at Yal Mourisco. 
3rd. The French took a good position on the right bank of the Coa at 
Sabugul. A Division of the Army was given time to march and ford 
the river higher up and attack their left. The remainder of the Army 
under cover of the fire of the Artillery advanced to force the bridge 
of Labuzal, and the fords in front of their position. We were 
engaged. The French position was forced, and they lost a great 
many in killed, wounded, and prisoners, and some guns were also 
captured. We continued the pursuit until dark, and then returned to 
bivouac upon the Coa close to Sabugal. Our loss was also very severe. 
4th. Bivouacked at Soita. 
5th. Aldea de Ponte. 
9th. Nave d’Aver. During the advance of the Army I had partially 
recovered from a bowel complaint, but it here (while stationary) 
returned for several days very severely. 
A part of the Army now blockaded and invested the fortress of 
Almeida on every side. The French were retired beyond the Aqueda, 
and had gone into cantonments. However, there was a rumour of 
their preparations to advance to the relief of the garrison of Almeida, 
and on the evening of May 2nd we had bivouacked with the infantry 
at Poco Yelha, some of the French having already appeared on this 
side the Aqueda. 
3 rd. In the afternoon the village of Fuentes d’Onore, which is on the 
road from C. Rodrigo to Almeida, was briskly attacked by the French, 
and defended by the Brigade of Highlanders, supported by our guns. 
A small rivulet divides the village. After a sharp contest, each 
retained possession at night of that portion of it on their own side. 
4 th. Everything remained quiet ; nevertheless the shallow stream which 
separated the advanced posts was only a few paces across, and the 
troops of both Armies, by a silent consent, drank and filled their water 
canteens at opposite sides, but with their muskets loaded and leaning 
against the walls ready to be seized and fired at a moment. 
The French, foiled in the attempt to carry the village of Fuentes 
d’Onore, were observed in the evening to be moving troops to their 
left, and to indicate an intention to advance by the road coming from 
Nave d'Aver. 
5th. In the night we had heard distinctly the moving of artillery in the 
camp of the French, and Lord Wellington likewise brought a body of 
cavalry and the 7th Division of Infantry from his left, which occupied 
the strong ground on the bank of the rivulet from Fuentes d^Onore 
as far as Fort La Conceipcao (having Almeida a league in its rear, and 
facing the Aqueda at nearly the same distance), with these he 
strengthened and extended his right. At break of day the French 
appeared on the Nave d’Aver road, advanced a numerous cavalry, 
drove in the picquets, and attacked our right with great impetuosity. 
