[143] Dupont considered that Savary’s intention was to stop all offensive movements whatever: ‘Le général-en-chef me fait entrevoir que nous aurons peut-être à garder notre position jusqu’à ce que Valence et Saragosse soient soumises’ (Dupont to Vedel, July 13).
[144] Dupont to Vedel, evening of July 15.
[145] Dupont’s available force at this moment consisted of the following troops. The numbers given are their original strength, from which deductions must of course be made:—
| Infantry—Barbou’s Division: | |||
| Chabert’s Brigade | |||
| 4th Legion of Reserve (three batts.) | 3,084 | ||
| 4th Swiss Regiment (one batt.) | 709 | ||
| Marines of the Guard (one batt.) | 532 | ||
| Pannetier’s Brigade | |||
| 3rd Legion of Reserve (two batts.) | 2,057 | ||
| Garde de Paris (two batts.) | 1,454 | ||
| Schramm’s Brigade | |||
| Swiss regiments of Reding and Preux (four batts.) | 2,000 | ||
| Vedel’s Division: | |||
| Poinsot’s Brigade | |||
| 5th Legion of Reserve (three batts.) | 2,695 | ||
| 3rd Swiss Regiment | 1,174 | ||
| Cassagnes’s Brigade | |||
| 1st Legion of Reserve (one batt.) [two batts. detached under Liger-Belair] | 1,003 | ||
| From Gobert’s Division: | |||
| 6th Provisional Regiment (four batts.) | 1,851 | ||
| Cavalry—Frésia’s Division: | |||
| Privé’s Brigade | |||
| 1st Provisional Dragoons | 778 | ||
| 2nd ditto | 681 | ||
| Dupré’s Brigade | |||
| 1st Provisional Chasseurs à Cheval | 556 | ||
| 2nd ditto | 623 | ||
| Boussard’s Brigade | |||
| 6th Provisional Dragoons | 620 | ||
| From Rigaud’s Brigade: | |||
| Half the 2nd Provisional Cuirassiers | 341 | ||
| Artillery, &c. (36 guns) | 900 | ||
| 21,058 | |||
Allowing a deduction of 3,000 men for sick and previous losses, there remain 15,000 bayonets and 3,000 sabres.
[146] ‘Je vous prie, mon cher général, de vous porter le plus rapidement possible, sur Baylen, pour y faire votre jonction avec le corps qui a combattu aujourd’hui à Mengibar, et qui s’est replié sur cette ville.... J’espère que demain l’ennemi sera rejeté sur Mengibar, au delà du fleuve, et que les postes de Guarroman et de la Caroline resteront en sûreté; ils sont d’une grande importance’ (Dupont to Vedel, night of July 16). In these orders lies the foundation of the disaster.
[147] ‘J’ai reçu votre lettre de Baylen. D’après le mouvement de l’ennemi, le général Dufour a très-bien fait de regagner de vitesse sur La Caroline et sur Ste-Hélène, pour occuper la tête des gorges. Je vois avec plaisir que vous vous hâtez de vous réunir à lui, afin de combattre avec avantage.... Si vous trouvez l’ennemi à La Caroline ou sur tout autre point, tâchez de le battre, pour venir me rejoindre et repousser ce qui est devant Andujar’ (Dupont to Vedel, night of July 17).
[148] Vedel had now with him the following troops:—
| (1) His own whole division [he had rallied the two detached battalions of Liger-Belair] | 6,800 |
| (2) Nine battalions of Gobert’s division (four from Baylen, three which had fought at Mengibar under Dufour, two from Liñares and La Carolina) | 4,350 |
| (3) Cavalry | |
| 6th Provisional Dragoons | 620 |
| Half 2nd Provisional Cuirassiers | 340 |
| Artillery, &c. (18 guns) | 500 |
| 12,610 |
Deduct 2,500 for losses in action at Mengibar and sick, and about 10,000 remain.