“Lieut.-General Hill has great satisfaction in congratulating the troops on the success which has attended their recent operations in Estremadura, and in so doing, he cannot but endeavour to do justice to the merits of those through whose exertions it has been obtained. A patient willing endurance of forced and night marches, during the worst of weather and over bad roads, of bivouacs in wet weather, oftentimes without cover and without fire, and a strict observance of discipline, are qualities, however common in British soldiers, which the Lieut.-General cannot pass unnoticed. Having on this occasion witnessed the exertion of them in no ordinary degree, he feels that nothing but the most zealous attention of commanding officers, the good-will and zealous spirit of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers, could produce such an effect, and he requests they will, generally and individually, accept his warmest thanks, particularly those corps which were engaged in the action of _Arroyo-del-Molinos_, whose silent attention to orders, when preparing to attack, and when manœuvring before the enemy, could not but excite his notice, and give them an additional claim on him.” Letters from the Secretary of State, dated the 2nd, and from His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, dated the 6th December, were promulgated, expressive of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent’s approbation and thanks to Lieut.-General Hill, and the troops under his command, for their brilliant operations on the recent expedition in Spanish Estremadura, in having totally surprised and defeated the enemy under General Girard. Viscount Wellington having made preparations for the recapture of _Ciudad Rodrigo_, concentrated the main body of the army in that neighbourhood, and the troops under Lieut.-General Hill were therefore ordered to divert the enemy’s attention in the south. Lieut.-General Hill marched from Portalegre on the 26th of December, and proceeded on the 29th to a bivouac about a league beyond La Nava, at which village about three hundred French infantry were discovered running to their arms upon the approach of the head of the British cavalry column. They, however, effected their escape to Merida, from which place they had been that morning detached, and acquainted General Dombrouski of the approach of the British troops. On the 30th of December, the NINETY-SECOND and other British troops entered Merida, the French having retreated during the night, where they halted during the following day. [Sidenote: 1812]