The night was a terrible one; the rain had for two days been continuous,
and the troops were drenched to the skin and impatient at the hardship
that they had suffered. The scouts reported that the bridge here had also
been destroyed, but that one of the parapets was still unbroken, and that
the force on the other side consisted only of peasants. Soult ordered
Major Doulong, an officer celebrated for his courage, to take a hundred
grenadiers and secure the passage.
A violent storm was now raging, and their footsteps being deadened by the
roar of the wind, the French crept up, killed the Portuguese sentry on
their side of the bridge before he could give the alarm, and then crawled
across the narrow line of masonry. Then they rushed up the opposite
heights, shouting and firing, and the peasantry, believing that the whole
French army were upon them, fled at once. The bridge was hastily repaired,
and at four o'clock in the morning the whole of the French army had
crossed. Their retreat was opposed at a bridge of a single arch over a
torrent, by a party of Portuguese peasantry, but after two repulses the
French, led by Major Doulong, carried it.
They were just in time, for in the afternoon the British came upon a
strong rear-guard left at Salamende. Some light troops at once turned
their flank, while Sherwood attacked them in front, and they fled in
confusion to the Ponte Nova.
Pages:
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499