[310] Cole actually reached Portalegre on the 22nd, so could have been in front of Badajoz on the 24th.
[311] Wellington to Beresford, March 18th (Dispatches, vii. 372), ‘You had better lose no time in moving up to Portalegre, and attack Soult, if you can, at Campo Mayor. I will come to you if I can, but if I cannot do not wait for me. Get Castaños to join you from Estremos with any Spanish troops he can bring. You must be two days marching from Portalegre to Campo Mayor, I believe.’
[312] Wellington to Beresford, March 20 (Dispatches, vii. 374-5); some details added from D’Urban’s diary, which do not appear in this dispatch.
[313] All these details are from D’Urban’s Journal.
[314] The consumption of the Estremos magazines by Mendizabal’s men will be found mentioned in the pamphlet (written under Beresford’s direction) called ‘Strictures on Napier’s Peninsular War’ [London, 1832]. ‘When the Marshal (Beresford) put his corps in motion from the Tagus he was informed that the British Commissary in the Alemtejo had from 200,000 to 300,000 rations in store for his use. But this officer had also been ordered to supply the Spanish division lately in that province, and (most incautiously) issued for its service whatever its commander required. Owing to this inadvertence on the part of the Commissary (whose name, I think, was Thompson), when Marshal Beresford arrived the store was absolutely empty’ [p. 61]. His name was Thompson, and he was immediately superseded by Wellington’s order (Dispatches, vii. 426).
[315] Soriano da Luz, iii. pp. 531-2.
[316] Colonel Dickson met Talaya only two days after the surrender and had an interesting interview with him. See Dickson’s Journal, i. p. 366. He can find no praise high enough for the old engineer officer. D’Urban also speaks of him in most appreciative terms.
[317] There is great difficulty in making out what were the French cavalry regiments, but Martinien’s lists show losses in the 26th Dragoons (eight officers) and 2nd Hussars, and Long speaks positively of the 10th Hussars as present also.
[318] D’Urban, reconnoitring with one, was sighted and chased a little way by French hussars. See C. E. Long’s vindication of his uncle, General Long’s Military Reputation [London, 1832], pp. 74-5.