It was now twelve o'clock; the victory was complete; thirteen guns had
been captured. Neither the 1st, 5th, nor Portuguese brigades had fired a
shot, and the 4th and 8th had suffered very little, therefore Sir Arthur
resolved with these five brigades to push Junot closely, while Hill,
Anstruther, and Fane were to march forward as far as Torres Vedras, and,
pushing on to Montechique, cut him off from Lisbon. Had this operation
been executed Junot would probably have lost all his artillery, and seven
thousand stragglers would have been driven to seek shelter under the guns
of Elvas, from which fortress, however, he would have been cut off had
Moore landed as Sir Arthur wished at Mondego. Unhappily, however, the
latter was no longer commander-in-chief. Sir Harry Burrard, who had been
present at the action, had not interfered with the arrangements, but as
soon as victory was won he assumed command, sent an order arresting
Ferguson's career of victory, and forbade all further offensive operations
until the arrival of Sir John Moore.
The adjutant-general and quartermaster supported his views, and Sir
Arthur's earnest representations were disregarded. Sir Arthur's plan would
probably have been crowned with success, but it was not without peril. The
French had rallied with extraordinary rapidity under the protection of
their cavalry.
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