426 SWABEY DIARY. 
31st October.—Marched again to Casa del Campo. This is one of 
the royal wine manufacturies. Its extensive cellars aired by venti- 
lators from above, and containing earthen jars each large enough to 
hold half a pipe of wine, are very curious. In one of these cellars we 
took up our abode. The picquets when posted on the river were 
sharply engaged with each other from the opposite banks; being 
quiet towards evening I went down close to them at the destroyed 
bridge, and they were sitting at each end of the pier mutually civil 
and conversable. Some French cavalry crossed by the fords in small 
parties. 
[It was at the bridge at Casa del Campo near the Casa del Labrador, 
afew days after leaving Aranjuez that the French picquets being 
amongst the trees on the one side, and our own on the other, that 
some of us availed ourselves of the cover offered from behind one tree 
to another, and crept on to the bridge. Some French officers seeing 
what we were about did the same thing, till at last there sat Hnglishmen 
and Frenchmen upon the opposite ruins of an exploded arch with 
their legs hanging over the water, and here was held a colloquy more 
entertaining than unfriendly. The principal subject of which was on 
the French side the vigorous march that they had made, and on ours, 
attempts to show that though they might think they were advancing 
their movement was in effect a retreat.! There was some truth in both 
views of the case, nor was there the least ill humour on either side, on 
the contrary a good deal of manly politesse, frequently to be met in 
the better class of French officers. When however the time came that 
the French picquet was to be relieved, the Frenchmen cautioned us 
that ib was better to get under cover as they could not be answerable 
for the orders the relief might have, and we all knew that a skirmish 
under such circumstances is almost a certain occurrence ; we therefore 
made profound reverences on both sides and parted]. 
Ist November.— At day-light marched to San Pozuelos, giving up the 
Tagus, and passing the Jarama, the bridge over which was guarded 
by Colonel Skerrett’s brigade just joined from Cadiz. We were under 
great apprehension that our commissary was cut off, he being at 
Arganda on the wrong side of the river. We got no rations and very 
little to eat. 
Upon the French under Marshal Soult raising the blockade of 
Cadiz, some 4000 to 5000 men under Colonel Skerrett were 
ordered on the 9th September, by Lord Wellington to march 
vid Seville, Monasterio, Medellin, Truxillo, etc. to join the 
force under Sir R. Hill. The brigade was composed of 
detachments of the 2nd Hussars, K. G. L., 20th Portuguese 
Regiment, 3rd Battalion 1st Foot Guards, detachment 2nd 
Battalion 95th Regiment, Company of the Royal Staff Corps, 
1 In fact the French army under Marshal Soult that had raised the blockade of Cadiz on the 
24th of August, and retired wid Seville, Granada, and Jean, was now advancing against Lieut.- 
General Sir Rowland Hill on the Tagus. See Map L—#.4.W. 
