"We had not been many days here when we received intelligence that the light troops were falling back upon our village, the enemy having recrossed the Agueda in great force, for the purpose of relieving Almeida, which we had blockaded. On the morning we received this intelligence (3rd May, 1811), our regiment turned out of the town, and took up their position with the rest of the division on a plain some distance behind it. The morning was uncommonly beautiful; the sun shone bright and warm; the various odoriferous shrubs, which were scattered profusely around, perfumed the air, and the woods rang with the song of birds. "The Light Division and cavalry falling back, followed by the columns of the French, the various divisions of the army assembling on the plain from different quarters, their arms glittering in the sun; bugles blowing, drums beating, the various staff officers galloping about to different parts of the line giving orders, formed a scene which realized to my mind all that I had ever read of feats of arms, or the pomp of war--a scene which no one could behold unmoved, or without feeling a portion of that enthusiasm which always accompanies 'deeds of high daring'; a scene justly conceived, and well described by Moore, in the beautiful song:-- Oh, the sight entrancing When the morning's beam is glancing O'er files array'd With helm and blade And plumes in the gay wind dancing! "Our position was now taken up in such a way that our line ran along the frontiers of Portugal, maintaining the blockade of Almeida by our left, while our right kept open the communication with Sabugal, the place where the last action was fought. "The French advanced on our position in three columns, about three o'clock in the afternoon, and detached a strong body of troops against Fuentes, which was at this time occupied as an advance post by the 60th Regiment (1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps), and the light company of our division. The skirmishers were covered in their advance by cavalry, in consequence of which ours were obliged to fall back for greater safety to some stone fences on the outskirts of the village, while a party of our German hussars covered their retreat.