The regiments resumed their march until far up the hill, where they
proceeded to cut down trees and brushwood and to form an encampment, as
their leader had decided to stay here and await events until Soult's
intentions were clearly shown. There were two courses open to the French
general. He might advance to Allaritz and then march along the Lima, be
joined by his artillery and train from Tuy, and then move direct upon
Oporto, or he might follow the valley of the Tamega to Chaves, whence he
would have the choice of routes, and take either that over the Sierra de
Cabrera to Braga, or continue his course down the valley until he reached
the Douro.
It was not until the 4th of March that the French again moved forward. In
the meantime Terence was forced to remain quiet, except that each day he
marched his men farther among the hills and drilled them for some hours
perseveringly. The affair on the Minho and the repulse of the French
cavalry had given them great confidence in themselves and their leader,
and had shown them the value of steadiness, and of maintaining order and
discipline in the ranks. They therefore devoted themselves even more
willingly and zealously than before to their military exercises, and the
ten days taken by Soult in preparing for the advance were well spent in
accustoming the Portuguese to rapid movements among the mountains, and to
attaining a fair knowledge of what would be required of them in mountain
warfare.
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