SWABEY DIARY. 189 
has a powerful fort for the defence of the passage of the river, which 
is so deep that a little rain renders it impassable. As there has been a 
military bridge here, on the opposite side looking over an extensive 
plain, there is a téte-de-pont, but the work appears to be of little 
strength and has no guns at present; the guns of Jurumanha 
ranging over it. The fortifications at Olivenca have been breached 
by us in several places, to prevent a recurrence of what took place 
last year, when 800 French refused some regiments admission till 
driven out. 
This place might be strong but the situation is unimportant. We 
expect to remain some days. 
lvth March.—Received orders at 12 o’clock, when in bed, to be in 
harness at 5, which is now about half-an-hour before daybreak. We 
were paraded by that hour with Bull’s troop, the 3rd and 4th Dragoons 
and 5th Dragoon Guards, and marched six leagues, halting at Alman- 
dral for the night, having orders to march at daybreak ; the cavalry 
went farther. Conjectures are various about our pushing on so fast. 
We are now well in Spain, and the difference in courtesy and clean- 
liness between the Portuguese and Spaniards is striking. The face of 
the country too changes, there is more plain and less brushwood and 
altogether a much better field for cavalry operations. Within a mile of 
Almandral is the field of Albuera. I regretted that our time would 
not permit of visiting it, and begin to find that a soldier has no busi- 
ness to set up as able to describe a country. 
We were obliged to cut green wheat here for the horses; after we 
had taken our harness off, the men were in the fields cutting forage 
when an order came for marching instantaneously, and we were actu- 
ally only ten minutes before the horses were in the guns; then came a 
counter order and we remained all night. 
LSth March.—Marched at 5 o’clock, in a most tremendous rain, and 
overtook the Dragoons at Santa Martha where only last night 3800 
French were turned out. We here halted and bade adieu to the cavalry 
who proceeded onwards, whilst we reported to the 7th division within 
two leagues at Feria, and are waiting for orders. The second day the 
horses have had no corn. 
General Slade’s brigade, the Royals and 8rd Dragoon Guards, came 
in, in the evening. 
19th March.—The 7th division and the Dragoons marched. We re- 
main for orders which we shall receive from General Graham,! who 
commands this large detached force. . Some troops marched on to Villa 
Franca, in the hopes of surprising a magazine there. A seasonable 
supply of corn arrived. 
20th March.—Rain all day. Our men having above a league to go 
for forage, wheat was cut, no other eatable for the horses being found. 
Occasional firing heard from Badajos, and various reports in circulation. 
21st March.—To my inexpressible joy there arrived for our use this 
day 17 horses, most of which come to my division; the number of 
1 Afterwards General Lord Lynedoch, 
