Europe wondered," nearly every town in Catalonia declared for King Charles III., and the ROYAL DRAGOONS were placed in garrison at Tortosa, excepting a detachment which remained at Barcelona. Shortly afterwards Valencia declared in favour of the house of Austria. A French and Spanish force, commanded by the Conde de las Torres, was detached to retake the revolted towns, and in December the enemy besieged _St. Mattheo_, which place was defended by a party of Spaniards, commanded by a stout-hearted Welshman, named JONES, who made a resolute defence. The Earl of Peterborough advanced with two hundred of the ROYAL DRAGOONS and a thousand British foot to relieve the place. This force was not more than one-fifth of the numbers of the besieging army: but, by night marches among the woods and mountains, and by circulating false reports, the British succeeded in surprising their opponents; and the Spanish commander, not knowing the numbers of his enemy, and being deceived by spies, made a precipitate retreat, and his rear-guard was pursued by the ROYAL DRAGOONS over the mountains to Albocazar. [Sidenote: 1706] The French and Spanish army continued to retire, and was pursued by the Earl of Peterborough with a force so much inferior in numbers, that the record of these events appears almost incredible,[38] and exhibits the native valour, spirit of enterprise, and temerity of the British commander, with the pusillanimity and credulity of the Spaniards, in a strong light. Four troops of the ROYAL DRAGOONS formed part of that small body of men with which the Earl of Peterborough pursued a numerous army. The services in which they were engaged partook of the nature of a guerilla warfare, and put to a severe test the discipline, bravery, and intelligence of the men. Being divided into small parties, and united with bands of armed peasantry, they were continually performing night marches among the woods and mountains, and, hovering about the rear and flanks of the Spanish army, keeping it in a state of alarm, which services were performed in concert with spies; and although, under these circumstances, it must have been difficult to preserve subordination and discipline, yet the ROYAL DRAGOONS performed these duties to the satisfaction of the commander-in-chief. On one occasion "the Spaniards employed by my lord Peterborough informed the Conde de las Torres of a considerable force that was upon his left, somewhat before him, and certainly designed, as they told him, to take some passes which might prevent his entrance into the plains leading to Valencia, and that there were English troops among them. This the Spanish general thinking impossible, one of the spies offered to give any two or three officers he pleased to appoint the satisfaction of seeing what he affirmed. Upon this two officers, in the country habit, went along with him to a place where, pretending to alight and refresh themselves, they were