Owing to this manœuvre, the French army was thrown on two sides of a square, and only possessed the chance of extending a line on the Esla, by throwing their left forward against General Hill at the moment when he was separated from the bulk of our army; (thereby making Madrid the base of their operations). However, _El Rey Joseph_ had not concentrated his army, and showed no inclination to keep open his communication with that capital; and therefore he gave up the line of the Esla and the Douro without a blow. The passage of the Esla having been effected on the 31st, without opposition, the Marquis of Wellington moved on Toro, where he arrived on the 2nd of June, and the hussar brigade fell in with a strong body of the enemy's heavy horse between that town and Morales, where they overthrew the French, after a very vigorous charge, and made upwards of two hundred prisoners. Our division on this day made a forced march over a bare country, halted to cook during the heat of the day, then resumed its movement, and reached the vicinity of Toro in the evening, where we encamped among some luxuriant, well-watered vegetable gardens on the left bank of the Douro, the sight of which proved very refreshing after a long, sultry, and weary march; and it was most gratifying to observe with what zest and relish the officers and soldiers devoured the raw cabbages, onions, and melons. The next morning our division crossed the fine stone bridge. The centre arch of it had been blown up and entirely destroyed. The soldiers, therefore, in the first instance, descended by ladders placed close together, communicating by planks thrown across to the steps of the opposite ladders, by which the men again ascended, thereby surmounting the obstacle with little difficulty, and then marching through Toro, which is situated on high ground on the right bank of the river, and commands a fine prospect for some leagues over the surrounding country.