The British artillery-carriages were so shaken as to be
almost unfit for service, the horses insufficient in number and wretched
in quality, the commissariat waggons in the greatest confusion, and the
hired Portuguese vehicles had made off in every direction. The British
cavalry were totally destroyed, and two French regiments had just made
their appearance on the ridge behind the wood where Junot's troops were
reforming.
Sir Harry Burrard, with a caution characteristic of age, refused to adopt
Wellesley's bold plan. A great success had been gained, and that would
have been imperilled by Junot's falling with all his force upon one or
other of the British columns. Sir Arthur himself, at a later period, when
a commission was appointed by Parliament to inquire into the
circumstances, admitted that, though he still believed that success would
have attended his own plan, he considered that Sir Harry Burrard's
decision was fully justified on military grounds.
Junot took full advantage of the unexpected cessation of hostilities. He
re-formed his broken army on the arrival of the two regiments, which
brought it up to its original strength; and then, covered by his cavalry,
marched in good order until darkness fell. He had regained the command of
the passes of Torres Vedras, and the two armies occupied precisely the
same positions that they had done on the previous evening.
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