On the 26th Massena was engaged in bringing up his forces. Some infantry was pushed into a wood close to Sula, and skirmishing took place between them and the picquet of the Battalion there; and the companies attached to Barclay’s brigade, in an adjacent village, were also attacked. This continued all the day; and as this constant interchange of fire was very harassing, the companies on picquet were relieved about every two hours. At last, at nightfall this skirmishing and fire ceased, and nothing indicated the presence of the vast hosts but the numerous watch-fires, which illuminated the sides of the mountains, divided only by a narrow valley. [Illustration: BATTLE OF BUSACO. 27^{TH} SEP^R 1810. _E. Weller, Litho._ _London, Chatto & Windus._ ] It is not for me to describe the position of Busaco, or the particulars of the fight. It is enough for this record to note that in the centre of the side of the Sierra projects a hill forming a sort of natural bastion, and connected with the mountain itself by a neck, depressed below the level of the projecting hill. Among the rocks and broken ground on the sides of this hill were disposed the Riflemen of this Battalion; while in the hollow behind it Craufurd had concealed the 43rd and 52nd. Scarcely had day dawned on the 27th, when the enemy made his advance. Loison’s division climbed the road leading up the face of the projecting hill, though galled by the fire of the Riflemen and Ross’ guns. Yet they came on, the Riflemen, as the French pressed up the hill, running in on their supports and forming in the hollow between the spur and the mountain. At last the leading section topped the hill, and then, and not till then, Craufurd gave the signal; the bugles sounded, and eighteen hundred men sprang as from the earth. Instantaneously they gave a volley; the head of the column after one destructive fire from the leading section reeled; Craufurd ordered a charge; and soldiers, arms, knapsacks and caps rolled in a confused mass down the precipitous hill. The French column was wedged in the road, the leading sections were driven back on the still advancing rear, and all turned back in utter confusion. Then they came under the fire of the whole Division which far overlapped their flanks; and through the narrow street of Sula they fled, trampling the living and the dead. The Battalion and some Caçadores were ordered to pursue them; and General Simon, who commanded the attacking brigade, and many others were made prisoners by the Light Division.