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I hear that the bulk of his troops are in camp above Penamacor; that at the outside he has in Sabugal under his hand but 5,000. Now Silveira should be here in a couple of days; that will make us roughly 12,000." "Ah!" said I, "a surprise?" He nodded. "Night?" He nodded again. "And your cavalry?" I pursued. "I could, perhaps, force General Bacellar to spare his squadron of dragoons from Celorico.

We crossed the Alva on a floating bridge and halted near Moira, as the enemy had now retreated to Celorico; but here Lord Wellington was obliged to stay the pursuit through want of provisions.

They had done mischief enough already by scampering southward and allowing Marmont to push in between them and the weak militias on whom it now depended to save Almeida with its battering train, Celorico and Pinhel with their magazines, and even Ciudad Rodrigo itself; and while I listened I tasted to myself the sarcastic compliments they were likely to receive from Lord Wellington when he heard their tale.

If the prisoner insists upon it, the Commissary-General himself may be brought before this court to confirm my assertion that that communication concerned a complaint from headquarters on the subject of the tents supplied to the third division Sir Thomas Picton's at Celorico.

Marmont's night attack on Guarda, though immediately and even absurdly unsuccessful, did, in fact, convince Trant that the hill was untenable, and he at once attempted to fall back upon Celorico across the river Mondego, where lay Lord Wellington's magazines and very considerable stores, for the moment quite unprotected. Marmont had from four to six thousand horsemen and two brigades of infantry.

Lord Wellington knew that his troops were then only strong enough for defensive operations, and was therefore determined, unless strongly reinforced, not to take rash measures; but on the enemy's fresh invasion of Portugal he again shifted his headquarters to Celorico.

Often and often I had him alone and crying! and I promised myself to be behind him on just such a job as we're in for a night assault: oh, he'd have enjoyed that! But he couldn't stand it. At Celorico he gave me the slip and deserted: and now he's in Ciudad Rodrigo, yonder, and the trap's closing, and what's he feeling like, think you? Eh?

Opening of the year 1811 Surrender of Olivencia and Badajoz to the French under Soult The French followed up in their retreat from Santarem Engagements on the route Pombal Redinha Condexo Casal Nova Fatal results of having too large a head Miranda de Corno Poz de Aroce Halt at Moira while the French take refuge in Celorico The fourth division ordered to Badajoz Halt at Portalegre Shameful instance of plunder and sacrilege by Lawrence and his comrades Campo Mayor Outrageous theft from an unprotected female A stolen bird turns evidence against its purloiner.

Our artillerymen were now halted to await and take charge of three brass guns said to be on their way down from Pinhel under an escort of Portuguese militia; and, taking leave of them, I was handed over to a company of the 23rd Regiment hurrying in from one of the outlying hamlets near Celorico with whom I reached on the 7th of January the squalid village of Boden, in and around which the 52nd lay in face of the doomed fortress across the river.

I accept it and give you my word. "Upon this parole, then, on the 19th I began my journey towards France and captivity, escorted only by M. Gérard, a young lieutenant of dragoons, and one trooper. The rest you know." As I have said, the bare news of my kinsman's capture and of poor José's death reached me at Celorico on the 16th, late in the evening.