[722] Graham’s diary, in his Life by Delavoye, p. 577.
[723] Wallace of the 88th was commanding the brigade vice Mackinnon, on sick leave in England.
[724] ‘Comme la position des Anglais était très dominante, je ne pouvais juger quelles forces ils avaient en arrière: il était possible que ses premières troupes fussent soutenues par d’autres. Ne voulant pas risquer un engagement sérieux, en les faisant attaquer par la seule division d’infanterie qui fût à portée [Thiébault], je pris le parti de n’employer à l’attaque que de la cavalerie et de l’artillerie. Si l’ennemi était en force, elle en serait quitte pour se retirer.’ (Mémoires, iv. p. 64.)
[725] Not counting the 21st Portuguese, which came up later, and was not engaged in the actual combat.
[726] The best account of this fine skirmish, carefully constructed from original authorities, is in Schwertfeger’s History of the German Legion, i. 337-9.
[727] Arentschildt’s gunners did not suffer so much as might have been expected, and Wellington was inaccurate when, in his dispatch, he says that they were cut down at their guns. The Portuguese returns show that they lost only one man killed and four wounded.
[728] They only made up 1,000 bayonets between them, and the 77th, only 450 strong, would have made a very small square by itself.
[729] Memoirs of Grattan of the 88th, pp. 116-17.
[730] 1st Hussars K.G.L. 5 killed, 2 officers and 32 men wounded, 5 men missing; 11th Light Dragoons 8 killed, 2 officers and 14 men wounded.
[731] According to Martinien’s invaluable lists, the 25th Dragoons lost 3 officers, the 22nd Chasseurs 4, the 6th and 15th Dragoons 2 each, the 8th and 10th Dragoons 1 each.