[271] On June 1 Craufurd calculated the troops in front of Ciudad Rodrigo, by counting regiments and battalions, at over 25,000 men. There were really 30,000, and the under-estimate came from allowing only 550 men to a battalion, while they really averaged 650. About the same time Craufurd estimated the parts of Junot’s corps in the neighbourhood to be 13,000 men: they were really nearly 17,000. The cause of error was the same. See Shaw-Kennedy’s Diary, pages 190-5. The estimates are corrected, on fuller information, early in July, see ibid., p. 220.
[272] To Charles Stuart, June 8, and to Hill, June 9.
[273] This movement, unchronicled elsewhere, appears in D’Urban’s diary, April 26. ‘The Portuguese ordered to the front, consisting of two brigades of artillery, 4th and 6th Caçadores, 1st and 16th (Pack), 7th and 19th (Coleman), 6th and 18th (Alex. Campbell), 11th and 23rd (Collins), 9th and 21st (Harvey) of the Line. They all go into march on the 28th, and will arrive by successive brigades at Celorico in four days.’
[274] At this moment the total force of the allied army was:—
| 1st Division (all British) | 6,000 | bayonets. | |
| 3rd Division British | 2,500 | with Harvey’s Portuguese | 1,800 |
| 4th Division British | 4,000 | with Collins’s Portuguese | 2,500 |
| Light Division British | 2,500 | with 2 Caçador Batts. | 1,000 |
| Pack’s, Campbell’s, and Coleman’s Portuguese brigades | 8,000 | ||
| Cavalry (British) | 2,100 | Portuguese | 700 |
| Artillery (British) | 1,000 | Portuguese | 600 |
| 18,100 | 14,600 | ||
[275] Dispatches, vi. p. 172.
[276] D’Urban, for example, wrote in his journal on June 18 that he took the daring step of suggesting a surprise attack on Ney to the General. No notice was taken of his suggestion.
[277] Picton summed up the situation in a letter to a friend [see Robinson’s Life of Picton, i. 273] very clearly: ‘If we attempt to relieve the place the French will drive us out of Portugal: while if they get possession of it, they will lose time, which is more important to them than Ciudad Rodrigo. But they have got to find this out.’
[278] A slight under-estimate, as it would seem, for with La Carrera’s force the whole would have been 36,000 sabres and bayonets. Of the 3,000 cavalry 700 were Portuguese and 300 Spaniards.
[279] Wellington to Henry Wellesley, June 20.