[149] Against Cabany’s defence of Dupont on this point there must be set the impression of almost every French witness from Napoleon downwards.
[150] Of the troops which we have recapitulated on page 182 there still remained with Dupont the whole of Barbou’s infantry, four of the five regiments of Frésia’s cavalry (the fifth had marched with Vedel), half of the 2nd Provisional Cuirassiers, and the two Swiss regiments of Reding and Preux. The original total of these corps had been 13,274. There remained about 11,000, for that number can be accounted for after the battle. The official Spanish dispatch gave 8,242 unwounded prisoners and 2,000 casualties.
[151] That the desertion was pretty general is shown by the fact that of 2,000 men of these corps only 308 were recorded as prisoners in the Spanish official returns. If 300 more had been killed and wounded, 1,400 must have deserted. Hardly any officers were among those who went over to the enemy; Schramm, their commander, was wounded.
[152] Three companies of Pannetier’s brigade.
[153] There is some dispute as to the exact hours of Vedel’s start and halt: I have adopted, more or less, those given by Cabany. Vedel himself, when examined by the court-martial, said ‘qu’il ne pouvait pas préciser l’heure,’ which is quite in keeping with the rest of his doings.
[154] Apparently they were the 1st battalion of the Irlanda regiment, and the militia of Jaen, according to the narrative of Maupoey and Goicoechea (Arteche, ii. 512).
[155] Or, according to some authorities, met Castaños at the first post-house out of Andujar, on the Baylen road.
[156] No one confesses the demoralization of the French troops more than Foy. ‘Dupont voulait combattre encore.... Mais pour exécuter des résolutions vigoureuses il fallait des soldats à conduire. Or, ces infortunés n’étaient plus des soldats; c’était un troupeau dominé par les besoins physiques, sur lequel les influences morales n’avaient plus de prise. La souffrance avait achevé d’énerver les courages.’
[157] Namely, 6,600 of La Peña’s men, 5,400 of Jones’s, and 2,500 or 3,000 of Cruz-Murgeon’s flying column.
[158] His name was Captain de Fénelon (Cabany, p. 178).