SWABEY DIARY, 193 
and understand the probable points of attack, &c. Captain Macdonald 
and Newland, with two guns, are gone to Villalba, General Graham’s 
head-quarters. 
5th April.—fSome of the infantry took up the position of Albuera, 
some skirmishing having taken place with the cavalry in front; our 
advance retired to Los Santos. ‘The fire on Badajos is rapid. 
6th April_—This day Badajos fell, we took it by storm at 9 o’clock 
at night, and lost many men. 
7th April.—Marched to the camp at Albuera at 3 o’clock in the 
evening, arriving there too late to choose very good ground; I slept, 
however, very well in my tent. 
Sth April.—Rode four leagues to see Badajos and the havoc that 
had been made there. On the road we crossed the position where 
Marshal Beresford opposed Soult. The ground which we occupied, 
“the heights,” as they were called, gives very little to call a position, 
and the rivulet which runs at the foot is likewise an insignificant de- 
fence. There is a bridge near the town of Albuera where Soult! made 
a false attack to conceal his real object of turning our line on the right. 
On the whole I should think there never was a battle fought on more 
equal terms. 
At Albuera, “the allied position was occupied by 30,000 infantry, 
about 2,000 cavalry, and 38 pieces of artillery, of which 18 
were 9-prs., but, the brigade of the 4th division being still 
absent, the British infantry, the pith and strength of the 
battle did not amount to 7,000. The French had 50 guns, 
and about 4,000 veteran cavalry, but only 19,000 chosen in- 
fantry, yet being of one nation, obedient to discipline, and 
animated by one spirit, their excellent composition amply 
compensated for the inferiority of numbers, and their general’s 
[Marshal Soult] talent was immeasurably greater than his 
adversary’s [Marshal Beresford]. The loss of the allies was 
nearly 7,000 men, of the French about 8,000.” Napier, 
Vol. 3, pp. 532, 543. 
The road to Badajos is the best I have seen and equal to any 
turnpike in England. The city of Badajos commands the Guadiana, 
and though its only natural strength is the river on one side and its 
height on two others, yet it is made by art of considerable importance. 
Its possession is of consequence to the party that holds it, as it forms 
a depot which cannot be surprised. The strong Fort of St. Christoval 
adds to the strength of the place, and there are two other considerable 
outworks. 
Badajos also commands the important country of Estremadura and 
the Alemtejo: forming on this side together with Elvas, a barrier to 
an advance into Portugal, since the two fortresses together contain 
too many troops to admit of either being passed by an enemy. 
The English and Portuguese troops stormed it the night before last, 
having effected three large breaches from batteries erected under Fort 
1 Duke of Dalmatia, created a marshal in 1804, 
