During this time, Latour Maubourg was so entirely occupied in securing and provisioning Badajos, that his foragers were extended fifty miles to the rear, and he took no notice whatever of Beresford’s proceedings; an error savouring rather of the Spanish than of the French method of making war: for it is evident that a moveable column of five thousand infantry, with guns and cavalry, could have easily cut off the small detachment of the British on the left bank, and thus have completely frustrated the operations. The allied troops, being most numerous, should have been carried over in the boats, and entrenched on the other side in sufficient force to resist any attack before the construction of the bridge was attempted: it is not easy to say which general acted with most imprudence; Latour Maubourg in neglecting, or Beresford in unnecessarily tempting fortune.
When the British were in possession of the left bank, the French general awaking, collected three thousand infantry, five hundred cavalry, and four guns at Olivenza, whence he marched, at daylight on the 7th, to oppose a passage which had been completed the day before. He, however, surprised a squadron of the thirteenth, which was in front, and then came so close up to the main body as to exchange shots; yet he was permitted to retire unmolested, in the face of more than twenty thousand men!
During these proceedings, the fifth Spanish army re-occupied Valencia d’Alcantara and Albuquerque; having cavalry posts at La Rocca and Montijo. Ballasteros also entered Fregenal, and Castaños, who was appointed to command in Gallicia as well as Estremadura, arrived at Elvas. This general was in friendly intercourse with Beresford, but had a grudge against Blake. At first, he pretended to the chief command, as the elder captain-general; but Blake demanded a like authority over Beresford, who was not disposed to admit the claim. Now Castaños, having little liking for a command under such difficult circumstances, and being desirous to thwart Blake, and fearful lest Beresford should, under these circumstances, refuse to pass the Guadiana, arranged, that he who brought the greatest force in the field should be generalissimo. Thus the youngest officer commanded in chief.
Beresford, being joined by Madden’s cavalry, and having traced out entrenchments capable of covering several thousand men, ordered his bridges to be reconstructed in a more substantial manner; brought up a Portuguese regiment of militia to labour at the works; left a strong detachment of British infantry and some Portuguese horse for their protection, and advanced with the remainder of the army. Hereupon Latour Maubourg retired upon Albuera, and Beresford summoned Olivenza on the 9th, apparently expecting no defence; but the governor having rejected the summons, the army encamped round the place, and major A. Dickson was despatched to Elvas to prepare battering-guns for the siege. The communication was now opened with Ballasteros at Fregenal, and Castaños having carried Morillo’s division of infantry and Penne Villamur’s cavalry from Montijo to Merida, pushed a part on to Almendralejos. Latour Maubourg then retired to Llerena; and, on the 11th, Beresford, leaving general Cole with the fourth division, Madden’s cavalry, and a brigade of nine pounders to besiege Olivenza, took post himself at Albuera; communicating, by his left, with Almendralejos, and spreading his cavalry in front, so as to cut off all communication with Badajos. The army now lived on the resources of the country; and a brigade was sent to Talavera Real to collect supplies.
The 14th, six twenty-four pounders reached Olivenza, and, being placed in a battery constructed on the abandoned horn-work formerly noticed, played with such success that the breach became practicable before the morning of the 15th. Some riflemen posted in the vineyards kept down the fire of the place, and the garrison, consisting of three hundred and eighty men, with fifteen guns, surrendered at discretion. Cole was immediately directed upon Zafra by the road of Almendral; and Beresford, who had recalled the brigade from Talavera, was already in movement for the same place by the royal causeway. This movement was to drive Latour Maubourg over the Morena, and cut off general Maransin. The latter general had been in pursuit of Ballasteros ever since the retreat of Zayas, and having defeated him at Fregenal on the 12th, was following up his victory towards Salvatierra: an alcalde, however, gave him notice of the allies approach, and he retreated in safety. Meanwhile two French regiments of cavalry, advancing from Llerena to collect contributions, had reached Usagre, where meeting with the British cavalry, they were suddenly charged by the thirteenth dragoons, and followed for six miles so vigorously that three hundred were killed or taken, without the loss of a man on the part of the pursuers.
On the 16th general Cole arrived from Olivenza, and the whole army being thus concentrated about Zafra, Latour Maubourg retired on the 18th to Guadalcanal; the Spanish cavalry then occupied Llerena, and the resources of Estremadura were wholly at the service of the allies. During these operations, general Charles Alten, coming from Lisbon with a brigade of German light infantry, reached Olivenza, and lord Wellington also arrived at Elvas, where Beresford, after drawing his infantry nearer to Badajos, went to meet him. The presence of the general-in-chief was very agreeable to the troops; they had seen, with surprise, great masses put in motion without any adequate results, and thought the operations had been slow, without being prudent. The whole army was over the Guadiana on the 7th, and, including the Spaniards from Montijo, Beresford commanded at least twenty-five thousand men, whereas Latour Maubourg never had more than ten thousand, many of whom were dispersed foraging, far and wide: yet the French general had maintained himself in Estremadura for ten days; and during this time, no corps being employed to constrain the garrison of Badajos, the governor continued to bring in timber and other materials for the defence, at his pleasure.
Lord Wellington arrived the 21st. The 22d, he forded the Guadiana just below the mouth of the Caya with Madden’s cavalry and Alten’s Germans, pushing close up to Badajos. A convoy, escorted by some infantry and cavalry, was coming in from the country, and an effort was made to cut it off; but the governor sallied, the allies lost a hundred men, and the convoy reached the town.
Lord Wellington, now considering that Soult would certainly endeavour to disturb the siege with a considerable force, demanded the assent of the Spanish generals to the following plan of combined operations, before he would commence the investment of the place. 1º. That Blake, marching up from Ayamonte, should take post at Xeres de los Cavalleros. 2º. That Ballasteros should occupy Burquillo on his left. 3º. That the cavalry of the fifth army, stationed at Llerena, should observe the road of Guadalcanal, and communicate through Zafra, by the right, with Ballasteros. These dispositions were to watch the passes of the Morena. 4º. That Castaños should furnish three battalions for the siege, and keep the rest of his corps at Merida, to support the Spanish cavalry. 5º. That the British army should be in second line, and, in the event of a battle, Albuera, centrically situated with respect to the roads leading from Andalusia to Badajos, should be the point of concentration for all the allied forces.
In consequence of the neglect of the Portuguese government, the whole of the battering-train and stores for the siege were necessarily taken from the ramparts and magazines of Elvas; the utmost prudence was therefore required to secure the safety of these guns, lest that fortress, half dismantled, should be exposed to a siege. Hence, as the Guadiana, by rising ten feet, had again carried away the bridge at Jerumenha on the 24th, lord Wellington directed the line of communication with Portugal to be re-established by Merida, until settled weather would admit of fresh arrangements.
Howbeit, political difficulties intervening obliged him to delay the siege. The troops under Mendizabel had committed many excesses in Portugal; the disputes between them and the inhabitants were pushed so far, that the Spanish general pillaged the town of Fernando; while the Portuguese government, in reprisal, meant to seize Olivenza, which had formerly belonged to them. The Spanish Regency publicly disavowed Mendizabel’s conduct, and Mr. Stuart’s strenuous representations deterred the Portuguese from plunging the two countries into a war; but this affair, joined to the natural slowness and arrogance of the Spaniards, prevented both Castaños and Blake from giving an immediate assent to the English general’s plans: meanwhile, intelligence reached the latter that Massena was again in force on the Agueda; wherefore, reluctantly directing Beresford to postpone the siege until the Spanish generals should give in their assent, or Appendix, [No. II.] Section 10.until the fall of Almeida should enable a British reinforcement to arrive, he repaired with the utmost speed to the Agueda.