458 LIEUT.-GENERAL THOMAS DYNELEY, (.B., R.A. 
and they retired over nearly two leagues of ground, the Colonel con- 
stantly asking me if they were within range, to which I replied, “no, 
sir, no.” At length I asked himif he would allow one of his regiments 
to accompany my guns to the top of a hill down which the enemy’s 
cavalry was then going, and to this he immediately agreed. Off we 
set at a trot, from that to a gallop, then to speed, and reached the hill- 
top just as they got to the bottom, opened fire and put them to flight 
in style; they made for the town of Las Rozas and drew up to make 
a stand, but we advanced and drove them through the town. 
Soon after Macdonald with two guns came up and took command of 
the whole troop. We then again advanced and drove the enemy for ~ 
nearly half a league before us, when they made another stand. I went 
on with two guns and moved them from their position, and after firing 
six or eight rounds they retired altogether, leaving us about half a 
league beyond the town of Majalahonda. We remained there about 
two hours and then received orders to go into the town and make 
ourselves comfortable. 
Harding and I soon found a house, got breakfast, lay down and had 
‘had nearly three hours sleep, and were half dressed again when our 
Commissary came into the room and said, “they say the French are 
coming on again.” I took this very quietly, but rather hurried my 
dressing. Ina short time a Portuguese officer put his head into the 
window, frightened out of his life, and stuttered out, “ Muito grande e 
feroz cavaleria franceza—vega, vega pela janella, Senhor Capitéo—com 
os suos canoes, murto brava, brava, brava ;” this is not any language, 
not a word spelt right, but I give it you as it struck the drum of my 
ear at the time. As soon as he had taken his departure, I put my 
head out of the window and sent a man to teil the trumpeter to “sound 
out” immediately. All the horses were in the stables; some of the 
men drawing rations, others getting their horses shod, etc. ; however, 
considering ‘everything, they got to the alarm-post astonishingly soon. 
Not a soul knéw Macdonald’s house, nor could he be heard of in any 
direction ; so as soon as two guns were ready, my friend Harding and 
I went away with them at score to the front, and directed the rest to 
follow. Just as we got clear of the town Macdonald joined us, he had 
been asleep in his quarters and by great luck the noise awoke him. 
He gave directions for the other guns to take the right road and we 
took the left, the Portuguese cavalry being drawn up between. We 
had no sooner gained the ground from whence we opened our fire than 
T saw how the thing was to go with us. The Portuguese wavered, and 
I turned to Harding and said, “ The French will most certainly turn 
our right flank, I hope the guns there will be able to get away.” 
By this time the French cavalry had gained much upon us and the 
cowardly scoundrels of Portuguese put about and set off as hard as they 
could go, leaving only 20 of the German cavalry to protect us. We of 
course limbered up and away we went at speed. 
Now, my dearest mother, give my letter to one of the girls to read 
a little. And, my dear Hliza, hold up your head and speak out, and 
1 The German cavalry went back again to Las Rozas leaving a picket of 40 dragoons in front of 
the three Portuguese cavalry regiments under Major-General D’Urban,--Ed. 
