These plans were drawn up long before it was clear that the army might not have to fight Marmont on the Agueda, for the defence of Ciudad Rodrigo. ‘If they should move this way, I hope to give a good account of them,’ Wellington wrote to Douglas (the British officer attached to the Army of Galicia)[227]: but he judged it more likely that no such advance would be made. ‘I think it probable that when Marmont shall have heard of our success, he will not move at all[228].’ Meanwhile there was no need to march the army southward for some time, since the artillery and stores would take many weeks on their land or water voyage, when roads were bad and the sea vexed with winter storms. So long as seven divisions were cantoned behind the Agueda and Coa, Marmont could have no certain knowledge that the attack on Badajoz was contemplated, whatever he might suspect. Therefore no transference southward of the divisions behind the Agueda was begun till February 19th. But Wellington, with an eye on Marmont’s future movements, contemplated a raid by Hill on the bridge of Almaraz, the nearest and best passage which the French possessed on the Tagus. If it could be broken by a flying column, any succours from the Army of Portugal to the Army of the South would have to take a much longer route and waste much time[229]. The project was abandoned, on Hill’s report that he doubted of its practicability, since a successful _coup-de-main_ on one of the bridge-head forts might not secure the actual destruction of the boats, which the French might withdraw to the farther side of the river, and relay at their leisure[230]. But, as we shall see, the scheme was postponed and not entirely rejected: in May it was carried out with complete success. [227] Wellington to Sir Howard Douglas, Jan. 22, _Dispatches_, viii. p. 568. [228] Wellington to Hill, _Dispatches_, viii. p. 567, same day as last. [229] Wellington to Hill, Jan. 28, _Dispatches_, viii. pp. 571-2 and 586-7. [230] Wellington to Hill, Feb. 12, _Dispatches_. viii. p. 603.