Having landed at Lisbon on the 26th and 27th of April, the THIRD DRAGOON GUARDS proceeded to Belem barracks, and were formed in brigade with the Fourth Dragoons, under the command of Brigadier-General Henry Fane. From Belem they proceeded on the 4th of May up the country, and on the 10th of that month occupied quarters at Golegon and Torres Novas. On the 22nd the head-quarters were at Thomar, and on the 11th of June they encamped on the picturesque grounds near the banks of the Tagus at Abrantes, where Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley had recently arrived from a successful expedition on the Douro. Towards the end of June the army advanced. The THIRD DRAGOON GUARDS left Abrantes on the 28th of that month, and, having entered Spain, were encamped, on the 10th of July, at Plasencia. Advancing from thence on the 18th of July, the army crossed the Tietar, and proceeding along the romantic valley of the Tagus, formed two columns on the 22nd, with the view of attacking the French posts at _Talavera de la Reyna_. A body of Spanish troops came up with the enemy's rear-guard near the village of Gamonal, when 2000 French dragoons obliged the Spanish general to display his whole line of 15,000 infantry and 3000 cavalry; nor did the French horsemen attempt to fall back until they perceived the scarlet uniforms of the British cavalry on their right, when they retired; and the THIRD DRAGOON GUARDS took a conspicuous part in the pursuit. They afterwards crossed the Alberche to Cazalegas, and took post in front of the army to sustain the Spanish corps. The advance of a French force, commanded by Joseph Buonaparte, being immediately followed by the defeat and precipitate retreat of the Spaniards in front, the British commander took up a position,--his right on _Talavera de la Reyna_, and his left on the steep hills which bounded the woody plain; when the THIRD DRAGOON GUARDS took their station in rear of the left.