[489] The French army consisted of—
| 2nd Corps (Marshal Soult): | ||
| Maurice Mathieu’s Division (twelve battalions) | 7,000 | |
| Musnier’s Division (eight battalions) | 5,500 | |
| Morlot’s Division (six battalions) | 4,000 | |
| Grandjean’s (late Frère’s) Division (eight battalions) | 5,000 | |
| Cavalry of Wathier (three regiments) | 1,600 | |
| Ney’s Corps: | ||
| Lagrange’s Division | 6,000 | |
| Colbert’s Cavalry (three regiments) | 2,200 | |
| Reserve Cavalry: | ||
| Digeon’s Brigade of Dragoons (two regiments) | 1,200 | |
| Artillery, &c. | 1,200 | |
| Total | 33,700 | |
These figures are mainly taken from Napoleon’s dispatch, No. 14,456, of Nov. 8. They do not include the Irish, Prussian, and Westphalian battalions of Moncey’s corps garrisoning Pampeluna and San Sebastian.
[490] The town and the hill, unlike the rest of the position, are on the north bank of the Queiles.
[491] It is impossible to acquit Castaños of the charge of carelessness on this point. Doyle’s letter of the night of Nov. 22 is conclusive: ‘Not one soldier has been left to observe the motions of the enemy, or to check the progress of his advanced guard, common pickets excepted, which are pushed a little outside the town. I confess I have not a shade of doubt that the enemy will attack at daybreak, and confusion must naturally ensue’ (Doyle’s correspondence in the Record Office). It is seldom that a military prophecy is so exactly fulfilled.
[492] Graham witnessed this and reports in his Diary (p. 285) that ‘the two regiments that had been sent down into the plain behaved uncommonly well.’
[493] I agree with Schepeler and the Spanish witnesses in holding that on this side the French did very little; their great advance, as Schepeler says, ‘ist nur Bulletinformel und weiter nichts.’
[494] The 3,000 men of Cartaojal’s troops, which had been detached to watch Ney in the direction of Agreda, were cut off from the rest of the Army of the Centre, and ran great risks. But they ultimately escaped and rejoined the main body.
[495] Only Saint March’s casualties are preserved. They amounted to 1,328. Roca and O’Neille must have suffered in proportion.
[496] Nap. Corresp., 14,489.