History of the Peninsular War, Volume 5 (of 6) — John Shaqi
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 5 (of 6)Southey, Robert
History
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 5 (of 6)
Southey, Robert
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
under Brigadier Porta, which took the road of Alcanar. Having, as he
supposed, allowed a sufficient interval for this, he proceeded towards
Ulldecona, and halted a little before five in the morning at a place
called Hereu. Here he inspected his troops, and promised them a speedy
triumph, when a messenger arrived from Porta, requesting that the
signal for attack might be delayed, inasmuch as his division had not
been able to get forward with the speed which they had calculated on.
Bassecourt waited impatiently a full hour till day began to break;
then, as success depended in great measure upon surprising the enemy,
he sent his advanced parties forward to attack the French outposts, and
directed his cavalry to gallop into the town as soon as the gun should
be fired and the rocket discharged that were the signal for attack.
General Musnier’s division was quartered here; Bassecourt’s made three
attempts to force its position, but not hearing any firing either to
the right or left, he perceived that on both sides his combinations
had failed, and deemed it therefore necessary to retreat. He succeeded
in reaching Vinaroz, ... there Porta joined him with the right column;
there he halted to give the harassed troops some rest, and to obtain
some intelligence of his left; ... and there the enemy surprised him.
The men instantly took to flight, and all that his personal exertions
could effect, was to keep a few of the better soldiers together, and,
under protection of his cavalry, reach Peñiscola with them.
♦CAPTAIN FANE TAKEN AT PALAMOS.♦
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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