"
Fires were soon lighted, some bullocks killed and cut up, and a hearty
meal eaten. They had already made a very long march, and were ordered to
lie down until nightfall. Silveira marched away with his men, and Terence
and Herrara sat and watched the road, down which bodies of French troops
could already be seen advancing from Monterey towards Chaves. As they
approached the town, gun after gun was fired. The advance-guard halted and
waited until the whole division had come up.
CHAPTER XVI
IN THE PASSES
On the following day the French cavalry, with a division of infantry, took
up their position beyond the town, so as to cut off the retreat of the
garrison, who were then summoned to surrender. No reply was made, but for
the next twenty-four hours the defenders, although in no way attacked,
kept up a random fire from the guns on the walls, and with musketry, to
which no reply whatever was made by the French.
On the following day, the whole army having now come up, the town was
again summoned, and at once surrendered, when Soult, who did not wish to
be hampered with a mob of prisoners, contemptuously allowed them to depart
to their homes.
After bringing up his sick from Chaves, and discovering that the passes
through the mountains were unoccupied, and that the Portuguese army was at
Braga, Soult, on the 14th, began to move in that direction, both for the
purpose of crushing Friere and getting into communication with Tuy, and
being joined by his artillery from there.
Pages:
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366