Moved to Fuenteguinaldo, and found the British and Portuguese concentrated upon the heights in front of it, the right resting upon Perales, in the Gata mountains, and the left at Nava de Avel under General Graham. Some Spaniards were observing the Coa. The Light Division retired by Robleda across the Agueda, and made a circuitous route to Fuenteguinaldo, as the enemy was nearly round us. A field-work was thrown up, upon some commanding ground about the centre of our position, which gave us an idea that Lord Wellington meant to receive the attack of the French army, and put us all in high spirits. General Cole's Division had some fighting on this day. After dark our army retired, and the Light Division formed the rear-guard and left the ground about midnight, having kept up the fires in such a manner that the enemy imagined we were still in bivouac. The Light Division parson, Parker, went into a house to make himself comfortable for the night, and slept very pleasantly. Some time after daybreak he heard strange noises within doors, and soon after, a French Dragoon entered his room. Giving his sword two or three menacing flourishes, he asked him for his money. He was followed by others, who were apt scholars in imitating a good example; pillage and rapine they glory in. The poor parson found himself stripped of everything, and, almost naked, was driven over rugged ground for twenty miles without shoes, and then put into a prison amongst a group of others and left to cogitate upon his hard fortune and upon his own stupidity for sliding away to make a lodgment in a house unknown to any one in such critical times. [Sidenote: 27th] The Light Division passed through Casillas de Flores. General Craufurd was pressed sharply by some French cavalry, and came galloping in rather too hastily. Some Rifle Men and 3rd Caçadores, being halted on both sides of the road, ran forward amongst the brushwood and fired a few rounds at the advance of the French (a few cavalry), who put to the right about and scampered off. Some sharp fighting followed. General Pakenham with the Fusilier Brigade drove the enemy from Aldea de Ponte. Moved to near Alfayates and bivouacked. [Sidenote: 28th] Retired a league before daylight, and took up a position upon the heights near Soita amongst some of the most extraordinary chestnut-trees for magnitude I ever beheld; several were hollow. Ten men might be accommodated and sheltered for a night in the hollow trunks of some of them. Marshal Marmont, having effected the principal object the force he had collected was destined for (viz. to protect the convoy to Rodrigo), as he did not wish to hazard a battle, commenced his retreat into the interior of Spain. His army, we were led to believe, amounted to 60,000 men and 130 pieces of cannon in the field-train. Weather unfavourable. Remained in bivouac. Letter No. XIV Aldea Velha, Portugal, _1st October 1811_.