[264] Bessières to Berthier, printed in the Appendix to Belmas, vol. i. p. 562.
[265] See below, [p. 225]. Divisions Souham and Caffarelli.
[266] Bessières soon after his arrival put a garrison in Santoña, between Santander and Bilbao.
[267] See vol. iii. pp. 486-7.
[268] Correspondance, no. 17,785, 8th June, 1811.
[269] Since the disaster at Puebla de Senabria (vol. iii. p. 270) Serras had drawn in his left flank and abandoned the Galician foot-hills.
[270] The King in all his dispatches seems to understate his own force. He sometimes calls it only 15,000 men. But a muster roll of the Army of the Centre, which I have copied from the Archives de la Guerre, for February 15, 1811, shows a total of 20,000, viz. Dessolles, 3,300, German Division, 5,200, Spaniards, 4,200, Lahoussaye, 2,500, Treillard’s Light Cavalry, 1,400, Artillery Train, Sappers, &c., 1,500, Royal Guards, 2,000 of all arms. In addition there were 5,000 drafts for Soult detained in New Castile, but about to start for Seville.
[271] Which had only seven battalions, the rest being with Soult in Andalusia.
[272] Composed of two cavalry regiments of Marisy’s brigade, three German battalions from La Mancha, and two French battalions.