My dear Brother—According to our expectation, the enemy advanced with supplies for the garrison of Ciudad Rodrigo. About the 21st of September the convoy left Salamanca. We were informed the cars loaded with provisions amounted to 1100. As General Marmont was determined to give battle, he had collected a very formidable force of 60,000 men, with a vast train of field artillery. A very pretty escort. You will wonder, as well as many others, how the devil he could collect such a force at one given point in so short a time, and particularly when we are taught to believe they have so few men in Spain, having lost so many in different affairs with the Spaniards, according to the accounts we received from different parts of Spain. [Illustration: Sketch-Map illustrative of the Operations on the Coa and Agueda, 1810-1812.] Our Dragoons were driven in, as the enemy advanced. Our Division were ordered to occupy very strong ground in rear of a small stream, which runs at the bottom of a very deep ravine a little way in the rear of Atalaya. The 3rd Caçadores were posted in the mountains to the right, and at two or three passes in front of Las Agallas. Our regiment occupied several strong places, being divided according to circumstances, and keeping up a chain of posts communicating with the 3rd Caçadores on our right, and 43rd Light Infantry on our left. The 52nd were also posted in the same way, with Rifle Men of our 2nd and 3rd Battalions in different fastnesses and mountain roads. General Picton's Division were upon the left bank of the Agueda at El Bodon; so you will perceive our situation was rather critical, being so far advanced and having the river Agueda in our rear; but it is very obvious that this was highly necessary in order to put Marmont to as much inconvenience as possible and make him bring up his whole force. On the afternoon of the 24th, the enemy's cavalry drove our Dragoon piquets over the different fords of the stream in rear of Atalaya, and established their posts opposite us.