298 SWABEY DIARY. 
mothers, uncles, and aunts were congregated, and vengeance vowed 
against me, the guiltless cause of this catastrophe; the bleeding Azulia 
however had the most of their compassion, and they became shortly so 
incensed against each other, that I was overlooked, and in a few days 
contrived to march off without either fair creature seated astride, as 
was the custom, on one of my led horses]. 
21st July.—Marched out of our camp this morning at 3 o’clock for 
Usagre, where we encamped for the night. We had a heavy thunder- 
storm to-day. 
22nd July.—Marched at 2 o’clock this morning to our old quarters 
at Villa Franca, I was the first Englishman that got into the place. 
As it had been much plundered and impoverished by contributions on 
the advance of the French, I expected to meet no very cordial reception 
the people however seemed to feel the same indifference as usual. 
23rd July.—Have been obliged to return to my old billet, one of 
the meanest order. I met with the usual kindness from the patrona 
Isabella, and the rest of the family, but the devil take all houses at this 
time of the year, the fleas and the mosquitos entirely prevented my 
sleeping the whole night though very tired. 
24th July.—At about 9 o’clock in the morning a report came in 
from Colonel Campbell commanding the Portuguese cavalry that the 
enemy’s cavalry in force had driven him out of Rivera. Weim mediately 
turned out, and after amusing the enemy till about 1 o’clock, we moved 
to attack them, the Portuguese on the left, the 9th and Hussars on the 
right, and the 13th on the road in the centre. I who had been left 
behind with the left half brigade at Villa Franca arrived just as the 
column advanced and riding forward moved my guns into a position 
looking over the town on one of the French columns; I immediately 
came into action, and fired with great precision, rapidity, and effect, 
owing to the steadiness of the men, and soon moved them from their 
position, when they seemed to wait for the Portuguese, whose 
skirmishers behaved gallantly. In the meantime the 13th with our 
other three guns joined the right column and did much execution on a 
column that moved out of the town. The villains however would not 
wait for our charge but moved off in the greatest regularity; we 
followed them at a trot along the Llera road for about a league, the 
guns several times coming into action with effect. One of my guns 
falling to the rear on account of a wheel’s being disabled, I led the 
charge with the other, but from the nature of the ground I never got 
a shot. 
The result of this exploit is the capture of a number of horses and 
men, all their rations, and some baggage; the road was strewn with 
rum, bread, and biscuit, and my men got two large sacks of new bread. 
The most valuable acquisition however is the entire restoration of our 
confidence. From what I saw in front of the miserable condition of 
the French horses, I believe had we pushed on we might have made 
many prisoners. I think on a moderate calculation the enemy’s loss 
may be estimated at 50 horses and about 50 men, of which full 30 were 
