[167] Wellington to Baccelar, March 8: ‘I conclude that Colonel Trant will have retired from Coimbra upon the bridge of the Vouga, which he should destroy, and from thence on Oporto. The enemy have no boats, and I hope to be able to press them so hard that they can get none on the Mondego.... If the enemy should turn toward Vizeu, you will of course do all that you can to annoy them in their march, but send all your baggage, &c., across the Douro.’ (_Dispatches_, vii. p. 347.) Meanwhile the original movement of Reynier, Junot, and Loison towards Thomar had caused Wellington to spread his pursuing troops more towards the east than was convenient, when it turned out that only Reynier was taking the mountain road towards Espinhal, and that the other columns were going to join Ney on the Leiria-Coimbra road. Originally only the Light Division and Pack’s Portuguese had followed Ney, and they formed the only body of troops available for the pursuit of what was now detected to be the largest body of the enemy, until the other divisions should come up from the rear, or be marched westward from the Thomar region. On the 9th Wellington’s total available force, minus the 2nd Division and Hamilton’s Portuguese, now halted about Abrantes and destined for Estremadura, and minus also the regiments just landed at Lisbon, was about 46,000 men[168]. Of these the Light Division and Pack’s Portuguese, with Anson’s cavalry brigade (now under Arentschildt), were at Leiria, in close touch with Ney’s retreating corps. But the 1st, 4th, and 6th Divisions and De Grey’s heavy dragoons were at Thomar, two full marches east of the Light Division; Picton with the 3rd Division was at Porto de Mos on the Santarem-Leiria _chaussée_, a day’s journey behind the vanguard. The 5th Division and the independent Portuguese brigade of Ashworth were a march behind Picton, about Alcanhede. [168] Viz.: 1st Division 8,100 of all ranks, all British 3rd Division 4,500 ” and 1,550 Portuguese 4th Division 4,800 ” and 2,100 ” 5th Division 3,800 ” and 1,800 ” 6th Division 3,850 ” and 2,300 ” Light Division 3,400 ” and 900 ” Pack’s Portuguese Brigade 2,100 Ashworth’s Portuguese Brigade 2,500 Cavalry, British 2,430 ” Portuguese 500 Artillery, British 1,000 ” Portuguese 500 Engineers, Waggon Train, &c. 200 ------ ------ Total British 32,080 and 14,250 Portuguese