From Valencia the regiment was detached, under the orders of Major-General Wyndham, to besiege _Requena_ and _Cuenza_, which places lay on the line of march from Valencia to Madrid, and were both captured after a short resistance. Meanwhile the army from Portugal had penetrated to Madrid, and was anxiously awaiting the arrival of King Charles, who, following the pernicious advice of his Italian counsellors, delayed his journey, and eventually proceeded by way of Arragon. This gave time for the French and Spanish troops under King Philip to re-enter Spain; and, uniting with the forces under the Duke of Berwick, the enemy had a great superiority of numbers. The allies were forced to retire from their forward position; and on the 13th of September, the SIXTH and other corps under Major-General Wyndham joined the army at Veles. The troops continued their route towards the frontiers of Valencia and Murcia, where they remained during the winter. [Sidenote: 1707] The SIXTH now formed part of the allied army, which was composed of English, Spaniards, Portuguese, and Dutch, commanded by the Marquis das Minas and the Earl of Galway, and took the field for offensive operations in the early part of April, 1707. After destroying several of the enemy's magazines, the siege of the castle of _Villena_ was undertaken; and while this was in progress, a French and Spanish force, of very superior numbers, commanded by the Duke of Berwick, advanced to the plains of _Almanza_. As the enemy expected the arrival of reinforcements under the Duke of Orleans, the allied generals, though much inferior in numbers to their opponent, resolved to attack him without delay[27]. Advancing in four columns, on the 25th of April, over many miles of rugged ground, and exposed to a burning sun, the army entered a large plain, and about half-past two in the afternoon the advanced-guard arrived in front of the enemy's camp: at three, the soldiers, though faint, and their bodily strength exhausted with the march, advanced boldly to the attack.