1809.] 
to the day is the evil thereof :” for we 
have nothing to eat to-day, and if we 
think of to-morrow, we have only to an- 
ticipate a similar privation. Since, how- 
ever, they seem so well versed in Scrip- 
ture, {[ wish they would recollect our 
Lord’s petition, and “ give us day by day 
our daily bread.” 
24th.and 25th. We remained these 
two days in a state of inactivity, our 
main body at Talavera, and the advance, 
under General M‘Kenzie, about twelve 
miles off, and at the position I have just 
described. Whether this was in con- 
sequence of Sir Arthui’s threat to Vuesta, 
Ido not know; but certain it is, that we 
got no provisions, and we remained in 
staulu quo. Cuesta, however, flushed 
with the idea that the French were re- 
treating before him, treated our puny 
force with contempt, and resolutely ad- 
vanced to extermivate ‘‘ those bold: in- 
vaders of his country’s peace.” | 
Ah! luckless brag, and bootless 
boast!!! A few shot trom the advanced 
guard of the Freneh, threw his legions 
into confusion, and ‘scattered wild 
dismay.” Our five thousand, under Ge- 
neral M‘Kenzie, got immediately under 
arms, and returned to the town of Cas- 
selagos, where we took up a position, 
and covered the retreat of our forty thou- 
sand magnanimous allies! who, I verily 
believe, had never been opposed by a 
thousand men, and whose main body, it 
is certain, never felt Or saw a shot. 
It appeared, however, pretty certain, 
that the force of the enemy jad been 
more than doubled by reinforcements 
from ‘Toledo and Madrid. 
ciently accounts for Victor’s retreat ; but 
it also shews, in fresher and more glaring 
colours, our unaccountable and irretriev- 
able mismanagement, in not having at- 
tacked on the 23d, - 
We this night dceupied some comfort- 
able huts which had been erected by the 
French, but were under arms at two 
o’clock in the morning, and continued so 
till seven, when all appeared quiet, and 
Our parades were dismissed; scarcely 
however, were our firelocks piled, ere no- 
tice was given that the enemy approach- 
ed. Gen. M‘Kenzie ordered’ us to ad- 
vance, and we were on our march, when 
an order for a retreat arrived. We ac- 
cordingly fell back upon our main body, 
which was by this ime in motion, and 
+s 
the whole took up 4 position about a 
mile and a half"in front’ of the ford 3; from’ 
this, however, we again retired, before 
the enemy had approached year enough 
a e 
 dreami 
This suffi-' 
English Army in Spain. 358 
to attack us; we re-crossed the river, and 
were halted and formed upon our old and 
injudicious ground, in front of the ruined 
convent; whilst Sir Arthur Wellesley, and 
the body of the army, returned to ‘Tala- 
vera. _ Here we were speedily and vigo- 
rously attacked by an almost unseen foe ; 
for the enemy abounded in riflemen, 
whilst we, in that species of force, were 
extremely defective. 
We were, in consequence, obliged to 
retreat, which we did in good order, 
though not without considerable loss, 
How a man of our commander’s experi- 
ence could place a body of men in a 
wood exposed to riflemen, without rifle- 
men to protect and resist, is a problem in 
inilitary, science, which it requires a 
clearer head thai mine to solve, 
Independently of this, the advance was 
nearly beig entirely cut off; for Sir 
Arthur, not dreaming that the French 
would cross the ford, or rather, I suppose, 
of something else, iad not only 
taken all the army to Lalavera, but their 
parades were absolutely dismissed; so 
that, when the enemy began to land be- 
tween them and us, as well as to assail 
us in front and flank, there was but just 
time to assemble and advance them, and 
thereby prevent our utter extermination.’ 
To account for these things, in a man 
of Sir Arthur’s reputation, is impossible, 
Some bave asked, Who lost Mark Antho- 
ny the world?—A female, (once, [ believe, 
tiie mistress of Soult, and captured at 
Oporto), accompanies the head-quarter 
establishment. She has not a handsome 
face, but a good figure, and sits astride 
on horseback as knowingly and as 
neatly as Mister Buckle himself.—But 
to return: we continued retreating and ~ 
fighting till we came upon the remainder 
of our army, in the plains opposite to the 
town of Talavera ; this was about nine at 
night, by which time we were greatly 
fatigued, and were consequently marched 
to the rear, where we formed a second 
line to our iresher troops; the enemy 
pushing on all this time with astonishing 
celerity, and keepmg up a tremendous 
and destructive fire trom their numerous 
artillery. About ten, they made a most 
daring attack upou che left of oar line, 
but were nobly repulsed by the 3d and 
29th regiments. After this, there was’ 
not much done till day-light on the morn- 
ing of the 28thi, when’ the arullery, from 
each ‘army, gpetied ‘with’ a’ rapid Aud 
destrictiye ‘fire. °-The French'again made 
an’atternpt upon our left, and were agai: 
repulsed, At length, the actioa became 
general, 
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