On the 8th they marched to Fuentes d’Onor, and on the next day took up their old line of outposts on the Agueda, at Gallegos, Espeja, and Fuentes d’Onor.
On the 10th two companies of Riflemen, consisting of 150 men, under Captain Cameron, were detached to San Pedro near Almeida, to shoot the cattle grazing on the glacis of that fortress. Daily until the 15th, before dawn, they marched to near Almeida, and taking a position among rocks, and firing at the cattle, compelled the garrison to withdraw them. They were daily saluted with the fire of the guns of the place, by which, on the 12th, 1 sergeant (McDonald) was killed. At dusk they returned to San Pedro, to resume their watch on the next morning.
On the 23rd, a force consisting of two battalions of French infantry and a squadron of cavalry, marched by Carpio to the heights above the bridge of Marialva, on the Azarva, and halting there, sent forward a party to attack the picquets of the Light Division stationed at the bridge, then furnished by the 52nd. The pass was gallantly defended; and another company of the 52nd and some of the 1st Battalion coming to the assistance of the picquet, the enemy were repulsed, and retired towards Ciudad Rodrigo. Lord Wellington, in his ‘Despatches,’ mentions Lieutenant Charles Eeles as having distinguished himself on this occasion.[102]
On the 27th the Battalion marched early in the morning from the villages of Sesmero, Barquella and Villar de Puerco, which they occupied, to Alameda, and thence in rear of Gallegos, on which occasion another attack was made on the picquets, and again the enemy were repulsed.
And again, on May 1, six squadrons of French cavalry and a column of infantry appeared on the old ground of the heights of Carpio and Marialva; but after making a demonstration for some hours, withdrew.
On the 2nd the French army was concentrated, and advanced with a view evidently of raising the blockade of Almeida, or of throwing supplies into it; and as Lord Wellington was not disposed to dispute their advance until they approached his position at Fuentes d’Onor, the Light Division fell back without firing a shot, and passing through the village of Fuentes d’Onor, took post behind the village of Alameda.
But though the 1st Battalion were not actually engaged on this day, the company of the 3rd Battalion which was attached to the 1st Division took part in resisting the furious attack made by the enemy’s light troops on the village of Fuentes d’Onor; Lieutenant Uniacke was severely wounded, and 9 Riflemen were wounded.
On the evening of the 4th, the Battalion were moved to the rear of the centre of the British position. On this day General Craufurd rejoined from England, where he had been on leave, to the great satisfaction of his Division, which had experienced the want of his leading on more than one occasion during his absence.
