The British general, considering that position as the key to that of Santi Petri, immediately countermarched in order to support the troops left for its defence, and the alacrity with which this manœuvre was executed served as a favourable omen. It was, however, impossible in such intricate and difficult ground to preserve order in the columns, and time was never afforded to restore it entirely. Before the British could get quite disentangled from the wood, the troops on the _Barrosa_ hill were seen returning from it, while the enemy’s left wing was rapidly ascending. His right wing at the same time stood on the plain, on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot. A retreat in the face of such an enemy, already within reach of the easy communication by the sea-beach, must have involved the whole allied army in all the danger of being attacked during the unavoidable confusion of the different corps arriving nearly at the same time on the narrow ridge of the Bermeja. Lieut.-General Graham relying on the heroism of British troops, and regardless of the number and position of the enemy, determined on an immediate attack. Major Duncan soon opened a powerful battery of ten guns in the centre. The right wing proceeded to the attack of General Rufin’s division on the hill, while that under General Laval, notwithstanding the havoc made by Major Duncan’s battery, continued to advance in very imposing masses, opening his fire of musketry, and was only checked by that of the left wing. The left wing now advanced firing; and a most determined charge by the three companies of Guards and the second battalion of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment, supported by the remainder of the wing, soon decided the defeat of General Laval’s division. In this charge the Eagle of the eighth French regiment of light infantry (which suffered immensely) and a howitzer were captured, and remained in possession of Major Gough, now Lieut.-General Viscount Gough, G.C.B., and colonel of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment.[13] These attacks were zealously supported by Colonel Belson with the Twenty-eighth, and Lieut.-Colonel Prevost with a portion of the Sixty-seventh regiment. [Illustration: _Lieu^t Pym 87^{th} Reg^t del._ _Madeley lith 3 Wellington S^t. Strand_ _The French Imperial Eagle_ _Of the 8^{th} Regiment_ _Taken by His MAJESTY’S 2^{nd} Battalion 87^{th} (or Prince of Wales Irish) Regiment under the command of Major Hugh Gough._ For Cannon’s Military Records.] A reserve formed beyond the narrow valley, across which the enemy was closely pursued, next shared the same fate, and was routed by the same means.