SWABEY DIARY. 305 
e 
At daylight next morning, the 11th, we discovered the enemy’s 
cavalry drawn up about half a league in front of us. We 
advanced and they retired over nearly two leagues of ground, 
the Colonel constantly asking me if they were within range, 
to which I replied ‘no, no, no sir” At length I asked him 
if 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 hilltop 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 2 guns and moved them from 
their position, and after firme 6 or 8 rounds they retired 
altogether, leaving us about half a leaeue beyond the town of 
Majalahonda. We remained here about 2 hours. and then 
received orders to go into the town and make ourselves com- 
fortable.t 
Harding and I soon founda house, got breakfast, lay down and had 
had nearly 3 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. In a short time a Portu- 
guese officer put his head into the window, frightened out 
of his hfe, and stuttered out, ‘Muito grande e feroz cavaleria 
franceza—vega, vega pela janella, Senhor Capitio—com os 
swos canoes, muito brava, brava, brava’ As soon as he had 
taken his departure, I put my head out of the window and 
sent a man to tell 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, con- 
sidering everything, they got to the alarm post astonishingly 
soon. 
Not a soul knew Macdonald’s house, nor could he be heard of 
in any direction ; so as soon as 2 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 I saw how the thing was to go withus. The Portuguese 
wavered, and [ turned to Harding and said, ‘ The French will 
1The German cavalry went back again to Las Rosas leaving a picket of 40 dragoons in front of 
the 3 Portuguese cavalry regiments under Major-General D’ Urban. 
