would have meant 14,000 men under Hill, at the New Year about 16,000 under Beresford. As Soult truly said, the expedition would have been encompassed, and probably destroyed, long before Masséna heard of its having got anywhere near him[39]. Nevertheless the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Portugal was told to expect this diversion as a matter of certainty: in the dispatch that Foy took back to him (dated Dec. 4) he was given the precise statement that the 5th Corps was to be looked for somewhere in the direction of Montalvão and Villaflor, on the Tagus above Abrantes, at no distant date. [38] Soult to Berthier, no. 24 in Appendix to _Belmas_, vol. i. p. 472. [39] The total of the troops available against Mortier in December would have been, giving net totals, with sick and detached men all deducted:-- _Spanish_: Ballasteros’s Division 5,000 Mendizabal’s Division 6,000 Permanent garrison of Badajoz 4,200 5 battalions left behind by La Romana at Albuquerque, Olivenza, &c. 2,000 Carlos de España’s brigade on the Tagus near Abrantes 1,500 Cavalry of the Army of Estremadura 2,600 Artillery 500 _Portuguese_: Brigade of Line Regiments, Nos. 5 and 17, at Elvas 2,500 Brigade of Cavalry under Madden, 3rd, 5th, 8th regiments 950 Hamilton’s Division (with Hill), 2nd, 4th, 10th, 14th Line 4,800 Portuguese Militia, 4 regiments, Beja, Evora, Villa Viciosa, Portalegre, in Elvas, Jerumenha, and Campo Mayor 4,000 5th Caçadores (with Hill) 450 Fane’s Cavalry (with Hill), 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th regiments 1,200 Artillery (4 batteries) 600 _British_: Hill’s Second Division 5,250 13th Light Dragoons 350 Artillery (3 batteries) 400 ------ Total 42,300 ------ Mortier had in the 5th Corps 11,500 infantry, 1,200 cavalry, and about 700 artillery in his 7 batteries.