The second battalion of the THIRTY-FIRST was on the left of Lieut.-Colonel Colborne’s brigade, in the division under Major-General the Honorable William Stewart, which was drawn up, in one line, behind the village of _Albuhera_; its right on a commanding hill, over which the Valverde road passed; its left on the road to Badajoz. On the morning of the 16th of May, the grand attack was made by the French on the right of the position, and in a line at right angles to it: this point was contested by the Spaniards without success,--they gave way, and the French columns pushing on, seized the crown of the hill, and bringing up their reserves, established their batteries in position on it. At this moment Major-General the Honorable William Stewart brought forward Lieut.-Colonel Colborne’s brigade, and arrived with it at the foot of the hill, while all was in confusion above. The Major-General rushed on in open column of companies, attempting to form his line in succession as the battalions arrived. The THIRTY-FIRST, the left of the brigade, was still in column, when four regiments of hussars and lancers, which had been concealed by the heavy rain falling at the time, passed by the right flank to the rear of the line. “_One battalion only_ (_the_ THIRTY-FIRST) _being still in column, escaped the storm, and maintained its ground, while the French horsemen, riding violently over everything else, penetrated to all parts._”[40] Major-General the Honorable William Lumley sent some squadrons of cavalry to take the attention of the Lancers, but the THIRTY-FIRST continued to hold the height, while the Spaniards would not advance, and Marshal Soult still kept his columns together on the point he had assailed. Major-General Hoghton’s brigade coming up in good order, under Major-General the Honorable William Stewart, and being soon afterwards reinforced by a portion of the fourth division, relieved the second battalion of the THIRTY-FIRST from the difficulty of its position. The THIRTY-FIRST had two serjeants and twenty-six rank and file _killed_; and Captains Fleming and Knox, Lieutenants Butler, Gethen, and Bolton; Ensigns Wilson and Nicholson; four serjeants, and one hundred and sixteen rank and file, _wounded_. Major George Guy Carleton L’Estrange, who commanded the battalion, at the battle of _Albuhera_, was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel in the army for his conduct on that day, and received a medal. Viscount Wellington alluded to his gallantry in the following terms:-- “There is one officer, Major L’Estrange, of the THIRTY-FIRST, whom I must recommend, in the strongest manner, for promotion in some way or other. _After the other parts of the same brigade were swept off by the Cavalry, this little battalion alone held its ground against all the ‘colonnes en masse.’_” Captain Peter Fearon, of the THIRTY-FIRST, distinguished himself on the same day in command of the Lusitanian legion, and received a medal for his conduct.