In the evening at last the transports made their appearance; and all next day the embarkation of the sick and wounded, as well as of the cavalry, was going on. Moore had found that, in the country around Coruña, cavalry could be of little use.
By noon on the 16th everything was in train. Unless they should be attacked by Soult, the whole English Army would be on board that night. Moore placed all arrangements for the embarkation in the hands of Colonel Anderson; and then again he went off to review his troops, finding them in excellent order and in the highest spirits.
They to a man wished for nothing better than a fight. That question, however, was left to Soult to decide. No matter how intensely Moore might long for a victory over the enemy, he would not make the first move. He knew well that, in the then condition of Spain, even a battle won could do little practical good to the cause in hand. It might cover his name with glory. But from first to last a higher aim than mere glory for self had been before Moore’s eyes.
Between fourteen and fifteen thousand infantry now remained on land to oppose the twenty thousand already entrenched on the opposite heights; and further French reinforcements were constantly arriving. Moore’s cannon were far inferior to those of the French, alike in number and in weight of metal. The French guns, indeed, dominated the English position.
At two o’clock, as Moore was on his way to the outposts, a messenger came from General Hope, to inform him that the enemy “was getting under arms.” The radiant delight which glowed in his face, when he found that a battle was to be forced upon him, was recorded later by one who saw it. He expressed his gladness, regretting only that the lateness of the hour, upon a short winter’s day, would hardly leave him time to make the most of the victory which he expected to gain.
Then he spurred away, full gallop, to the field. Soon the roar of cannon told that action was begun; and in a little while, along the whole front, both Armies were hotly engaged.
Upon the main ridge of the English position Moore had placed two Divisions—Baird’s on the right, Hope’s on the left. A third Division—Fraser’s—occupied high ground, well in rear of the right, to prevent any possibility of the French making their way to Coruña by a road which ran in that direction, and so cutting off the British force from the town.
Paget’s Division was held in reserve behind the ridge; and for a while Roy chafed impatiently, fearing to have no share in the battle that day. Even had it been so, the Reserve would have had small reason to complain, since they had borne the lion’s share of fighting during the retreat. But their turn would come.
The first and heaviest brunt of the onset was to fall upon Baird’s Division,—more especially upon the 4th Regiment, the 50th, which was commanded by Charles Napier and Charles Stanhope, and the 42nd Highlanders.
With their usual vehement swiftness the French advanced, in separate columns, against the right, the left, and the centre of the British line; while another powerful column sought to pass, as Moore had foreseen, down the valley which lay between Baird’s and Fraser’s Divisions, towards Coruña; and yet a fifth column waited in reserve.