On the 1st of April, the allied army descended the mountains, and reached the Coa; but the French general, anxious to maintain at once his hold of Portugal and the power of operating either on the side of Coria or of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, was in position on the right bank of that river. The sixth corps was at Rovina, with detachments guarding the bridge of Seceiras and the ford of Atalayon, and the communication with Almeida was maintained by a brigade of the ninth corps, which was posted near the ford of Junça. The second corps was on the hills behind Sabugal, stretching towards Alfayates, but having strong detachments at the bridge of Sabugal and the ford of Rapoulha de Coa. The eighth corps was at Alfayates, and a post was established at Rendo to maintain the communication between the second and the sixth corps. In this situation, the French army was disposed on two sides of a triangle, the apex of which was at Sabugal, and both fronts were covered by the Coa, because Sabugal was situated in a sharp bend of the stream: by holding Alfayates, Massena also commanded the passes leading through St. Martin Trebeja to Coria. Along the whole course of the Coa, which is a considerable river, the banks are rugged, but the ravine continually deepens as the stream flows; and, during the first two days of April, the allies occupied a line parallel to the enemy’s right, which could not be attacked. Meanwhile Trant and Wilson, passing the Coa below Almeida, penetrated between that fortress and Ciudad Rodrigo, as if the passage of the river was to be made on that side. Lord Wellington’s aim was, however, against the other flank, and, to protect the left and rear of the army, he placed the sixth division opposite the sixth corps, and a battalion of the seventh division at the bridge of Seceiras. At daylight, on the 3d of April the cavalry under general Slade, being on the extreme right, was directed to cross the Upper Coa; the light division was ordered to ford a little below; the third division still lower; and the fifth division, with the artillery, to force the bridge of Sabugal; the first and seventh, with the exception of the battalion at Seceiras, were held in reserve. The English general having thus, ten thousand men pivotted on the fifth division at Sabugal, designed to turn Reynier’s left, to separate him from the eighth corps, and to surround him before he could be succoured by the sixth corps. One of those accidents which are frequent in war marred this well-concerted plan, and brought on the COMBAT OF SABUGAL.