Lord Wellington having resolved to make a stand on the heights of _Busaco_, the army retired to that position, covered by the ROYALS and fourteenth light dragoons. During the severe contest in the mountains on the 27th of September, the ROYALS were formed in reserve behind the position; and when the army retired to the celebrated lines of _Torres Vedras_, the ROYALS once more occupied the post of honour in the rear of the line of march. The French pressing upon the retiring army near _Pombal_ on the 5th of October, their audacity was punished by a piquet of the ROYALS commanded by Lieutenant Carden, who charged the enemy and drove them back with loss; but, having advanced too far in pursuit, the lieutenant and one man, who were both wounded, were taken prisoners: the piquet, however, captured and brought off a French cavalry officer. The enemy's leading corps, being supported by immense columns, continued to hover round the rear of the allied army; and the temerity of their cavalry was again chastised on the 9th of October, near _Quinta de Torre_, by a squadron of the ROYAL DRAGOONS, which made a gallant charge, driving the French horsemen back with loss, and forcing them to take shelter behind a corps of infantry. This corps was too strong to be attacked by the squadron, and the ROYALS, having received a volley, retired with the loss of six horses killed, and one serjeant-major and two men wounded, with four men wounded and taken prisoners. On the following day the allied army was in position in the fortified lines, where it opposed to the advance of the enemy a barrier so formidable that Marshal Massena, after several reconnoisances, declined to attack it, and retired during the night of the 14th of November. On the 15th the ROYAL DRAGOONS were despatched after the enemy, and a piquet of the regiment took a serjeant and five French dragoons prisoners. The French army took post on the heights of Santarem; and the ROYAL DRAGOONS were stationed at Cazal Diera, Quinta, St. Christol, and Porto de Mugem, from whence they sent out detachments on piquet and outpost duty. [Sidenote: 1811] The French Marshal, having consumed his resources and wasted the numbers and physical power of his army, retired from Santarem on the night of the 5th of March, 1811. The ROYALS were again despatched in pursuit, and in the series of brilliant exploits which followed they took a distinguished part. They had a skirmish with the enemy near _Pecoloo_ on the 7th of March, when they took three prisoners, and had one man and one horse wounded. They had another encounter with the French on the 8th of March, and had two men and one horse wounded. They again came in contact with the enemy on the 11th of March, near _Pombal_, and took two serjeants and seventy-six men prisoners.