CHAPTER VI.
When Marmont had thus recovered the garrison of Almeida, he withdrew the greatest part of his army towards Salamanca. Lord Wellington then leaving the first, fifth, sixth, and light divisions, under general Spencer, on the Azava, directed the third and seventh divisions and the second German hussars upon Badajos: and on the 15th, hearing that Soult, although hitherto reported, by Beresford, to Appendix, [No. II.] Section 11.be entirely on the defensive, was actually marching into Estremadura, he set out himself for that province; but, ere he could arrive, a great and bloody battle had terminated the operations.
While awaiting the Spanish generals accession to lord Wellington’s plan, Beresford fixed his head-quarters at Almendralejos; but Latour Maubourg remained at Guadalcanal, and his parties were foraging the most fertile tracts between the armies. Penne Villamur was, therefore, reinforced with five squadrons; and colonel John Colborne was detached with a brigade of the second division, two Spanish guns, and two squadrons of cavalry, to curb the French inroads, and to raise the confidence of the people. Colborne, a man of singular talent for war, by rapid marches and sudden changes of direction, in concert with Villamur, created great confusion amongst the enemy’s parties. He intercepted several convoys, and obliged the French troops to quit Fuente Ovejuna, La Granja, Azuaga, and most of the other frontier towns, and he imposed upon Latour Maubourg with so much address, that the latter, imagining a great force was at hand, abandoned Guadalcanal also and fell back to Constantino.
Having cleared the country on that side, Colborne attempted to surprise the fortified post of Benelcazar, and, by a hardy attempt, was like to have carried it; for, riding on to the drawbridge with a few officers in the grey of the morning, he summoned the commandant to surrender, as the only means of saving himself from the Spanish army which was close at hand and would give no quarter. The French officer, amazed at the appearance of the party, was yet too resolute to yield, and Colborne, quick to perceive the attempt had failed, galloped off under a few straggling shot. After this, taking to the mountains, he rejoined the army without any loss.
During his absence, the Spanish generals acceded to lord Wellington’s proposition; Blake was in march for Xeres Caballeros, and Ballasteros was at Burgillos. The waters of the Guadiana had also subsided, the bridge under Jerumenha was restored, and the preparations completed for the
FIRST ENGLISH SIEGE OF BADAJOS.
The 5th of May, general William Stewart invested this place, on the left bank of the Guadiana, with two squadrons of horse, six field-pieces, and three brigades of infantry, while the formation of the depôt of the siege was commenced by the engineers and artillery.
On the 7th the remainder of the infantry, reinforced by two thousand Spaniards under Carlos d’España, encamped in the woods near the fortress; but Madden’s Portuguese remained in observation near Merida, and a troop of horse-artillery arriving from Lisbon was attached to the English cavalry, which was still near Los Santos and Zafra. The flying bridge was at first brought up from Jerumenha, and re-established near the mouth of the Caya; it was however again drawn over, because the right bank of the Guadiana being still open, some French horse had come down the river.
The 8th general Lumley invested Christoval on the right bank, with a brigade of the fourth division, four light Spanish guns, the seventeenth Portuguese infantry, and two squadrons of horse drafted from the garrison of Elvas; nevertheless the troops did not arrive simultaneously, and sixty French dragoons, moving under the fire of the place, disputed the ground, and were only repulsed, after a sharp skirmish, by the Portuguese infantry.