They
would be wholly unsupported save by parties of peasants and ordenancas;
they would have to operate against an army broken, doubtless, by defeat,
but all the more determined to push on, as delay might mean total loss.
He followed the line of the Vouga to the point where it emerged from the
hills, crossed these, and came down upon the Douro some ten miles above
San Joao, at nearly the same spot where he had before made the passage
when on his way to join Romana.
He was now well beyond the district held by the French south of the Douro,
and, obtaining a number of boats, crossed the river, and then made for
Mirandella on the river Tua, and halted some distance from the town,
having made a march of over seventy miles in two days. Learning from the
peasants that there were no French troops west of the Tamega, he marched
the next day to the crest looking down into the valley, and here halted
until he could learn that Soult was retreating, and what road he was
following. He had not long to wait for news, for, on the night of the 9th,
while he was on his march by the Vouga, the British force had moved
forward to Aveiro. Hill's division had there taken boats, and proceeding
up the lake to Ovar, had landed at sunrise on the 10th, and placed himself
on Franceschi's right.
In the meantime Paget's division had marched to Albergaria, while Cotton's
division and Trant's command moved to turn Franceschi's position on its
right.
Pages:
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490