INGILBY DIAEY. 
259 
tli© troops assaulted and carried this line, and pushing on to the 
second were repulsed. The two breaches, however, were immediately 
connected by a work and we became completely established on this 
part of the outward line. The French had many guns on the top of 
the old castle, and the fort was besides in every respect well armed 
with heavy guns at the foot of its walls within the 3rd line, and their 
artillery was well served. A new battery was made and the three 
24-prs. put into it to breach the 2nd line. As soon as it was dis¬ 
covered by the French the whole artillery of the fort fired, and it 
became a heap of ruins even before it was opened; two of the guns 
were destroyed by having their trunnions knocked off. 
The Engineers boldly carried the sap commenced at that part of the 
3rd line in our possession to within 6 feet of the 2nd line. Mines were 
made and charged. The field guns were placed in battery at different 
posts on the opposite side of the Citadel to that attacked, and by their 
fire annoyed and distracted the attention of the fort from the troops in 
the trenches, and things being finally arranged, a signal was given 
and the mines being sprung, the troops rushed forward to possess 
themselves of the breaches and to assault the works. For a while 
they were successful, but eventually were repulsed, leaving some of 
their dead on the parapet of the 3rd line, a proof of the courage 
of the troops who advanced at open day across a space swept by the 
grape and musketry of the garrison from behind their walls and 
entrenchments. This was the last serious effort made to possess our¬ 
selves of the fort by assault, and, as from the first the troops had seen 
the inadequacy of our means in artillery, the operations were not 
began, or carried on, with that same spirit as at C. Rodrigo or Badajos, 
which seemed to cause some discontent at the troops in the mind of 
the Commander-in-Chief. Also the weather became unfavourable, 
which added to weaken the strength of and disspirited the soldiers 
and brought with it great sickness amongst them. More than 200 
men were killed and put hors cle combat before this place. 
In the evening the troops advanced, leaving a blockading force oct^Sth. 
before the fort, and at night on the 20th met with and repulsed the 
advanced guard of the French at Rio Beno, or Quinta Nopalia. 
In the evening we began to retire, passed through Riobena and „ 2ist. 
Villa Toro and, leaving Burgos to the left, continued to march 
the whole night and halted on the morning of the 22nd a short dis¬ 
tance beyond Buniel. The same evening we continued our retreat 
and bivouacked at midnight near Celada del Camino. 
Passed the Arlencon, and bivouacked near Torquemada. „ 23rd. 
The effects of privations during the siege, the wet weather and 
these forced marches caused some relaxation in the discipline of the 
Army. The soldiers in many instances broke into the wine cellars 
and, many drinking to excess, became incapable of proceeding and 
fell into the hands of the advanced-guard of the French. 
Passed the Carrion, destroyed the bridge, and bivouacked near „ 24 th. 
Duenas. A picquet of Portuguese posted at the bridge sent to the 
Commanding Officer to obtain ropes to aid a deserter from the French 
to pass to our side of the river, the chasm in the bridge being com- 
