I should fancy that they were so
terrified at the utter rout on the other side, which they could see well
enough, for they had a view right over the town to the intrenchments, that
they simply fired wildly. I don't believe a single ball hit the bridge,
though, of course, they ought to have sunk a dozen boats in a couple of
minutes. My men could have held it for days, though they were suffering
somewhat from the fire of two of the French field batteries; but I found
that no steps whatever had been taken to remove the boats from the other
side. There were great numbers of them all along the bank, and the enemy
could have crossed a mile higher up, at the spot where I took my men over,
and so fallen on our rear, therefore I withdrew to save them from being
cut up or captured uselessly."
"Now tell us about those troops of yours, O'Connor."
Terence gave a somewhat detailed account of the manner in which he took
the command and of the subsequent operations, being desirous of doing
justice to Herrara and his troopers, and to his own two orderlies. There
was much laughter among the officers at his assumption of command, and at
the subsequent steps he took to form his mob of men into an orderly body;
but interest took the place of amusement as he told how they had prevented
the French from crossing at the mouth of the Minho, and caused Soult to
take the circuitous and difficult route by Orense.
Pages:
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438