SWABEY DIARY. 251 
wounded; of the enemy 250 taken, 300 killed, 200 with the General 
and his wife drowned in attempting to cross. This movement will 
embarrass Marmont. 
22nd May.—Sir William Erskine! sent a patrol of the 3rd Dragoon 
Guards, our support at this place, to Palomas to learn the truth about 
the enemy’s being in force, the commanding officer of the 9th Dragoons 
having seen a report of 3000 infantry and cavalry. Sir Granby Calcraft? 
found their force to be only about 500, and that they had evacuated 
our line. Had we found them we had orders to move and drive them 
from the face of the earth, which I felt eager to do, as I was indignant 
at the idea of alittle flying force keeping our outposts in continual and 
ridiculous alarm. 
23rd May.—Received a route to Almendralejo where we were well 
put up. Colonel Waller dined. 
24th May.—Marched to Villa Franca once more, I felt ashamed of 
showing my face there. We have now no bread, but such as we can 
press, which is hard on the inhabitants, but I see plainly that if we do 
not adopt the plan of taking for the use of the troops whatever we can 
get, we never can advance into Spain. War and charity are two 
things truly incompatible with each other. 
xdth May.—At Villa Franca, a terribly hot day, without books or 
anything for it but sleep and a little contemplation. 
26th May.—No intelligence from Whinyates or news stirring to-day. 
e7th May.—Heard the particulars of the attack on Almaraz. 
Through various mistakes in the roads owing to the sickness of Colonel 
Offeney the Quarter-Master-General, the troops did not arrive near 
the Castle of Mirabete until two hours after daylight, and General Hill 
supposing that there would be no surprise refreshed his troops on that 
and the following day. 
he next day Mirabete being deemed impracticable by assault, a 
false attack only was made. In the interim Fort Napoleon was entered 
by escalade; Lieutenant Love® of the artillery immediately turned 
the guns on the fugitives who by an unaccountable oversight cut the 
bridge of boats on the side to which they retreated and left it to 
swing round to the other by which means our passage was not inter- 
rupted and we crossed over and took possession of Fort Ragusa which 
with the ordnance, Fort Napoleon and the bridge were all destroyed. 
N.B.—To destroy ordnance place muzzle to muzzle, or one gun at right 
angles to the muzzle of another, this is the French system. 
“The siege of Badajos having terminated by the capture of that 
powerful fortress, with all its garrison stores etc., the divisions 
of the enemy’s army retired from the Alemtejo and Spanish 
Estremadura ; the next object of the Harl of Wellington, was to 
destroy a considerable fortification forming the grand pass at 
? Lieut.-General Sir Wm. Erskine, commanding the cavalry with Lieut.-General Sir Rowland 
Hill’s corps. 
2 Commanding 3rd Dragoon Guards. 
3 Lieutenant James Loye (Kane’s List No. 1489). 
