History of the War in the Peninsula and in the South of France, vol. 2

27–28 July 1809

Battle of Talavera

CHAPTER II.

Cuesta passes the Alberche — Sir Arthur Wellesley sends two English divisions to support him — Soult is appointed to command the second, fifth, and sixth corps — He proposes to besiege Ciudad Rodrigo and threaten Lisbon — He enters Salamanca, and sends general Foy to Madrid to concert the plan of operations — The king quits Madrid — Unites his whole army — Crosses the Guadarama river, and attacks Cuesta — Combat of Alcabon — Spaniards fall back in confusion to the Alberche — Cuesta refuses to pass that river — His dangerous position — The French advance — Cuesta re-crosses the Tietar — Sir Arthur Wel- lesley draws up the combined forces on the position of Talavera — The king crosses the Tietar — Skirmish at Casa de Salinas — Combat on the evening of the 27th — Panic in the Spanish army — Combat on the morning of the 28th — The king holds a council of war — Jourdan and Victor propose different plans — The king follows that of Victor — Battle of Talavera — The French re-cross the Alberche — General Craufurd arrives in the English camp — His extraordinary march — Observations p. 160

BATTLE OF TALAVERA.

BATTLE OF TALAVERA.

CHAPTER IV,

WHEN Victor retired from the Alberche, thinking Wilson was the forerunner of sir Arthur's army, the king, taking the same view, marched with the reserve in the night of the 3rd to Mostoles, leaving Sebastiani at lllescas; but when Wilson retreated the 4th, he concentrated all his own force at Valdc- moro to attack Veriegas, while Victor advanced towards Talavera. Venegas, in pursuance of his secret orders, had loitered about Daymiel and Tembleque, and the 29th of July was at Ocana, having outposts 4 at Aranjuez ; his rear was at Yebes, one division under Lacy was in front of Toledo, and a small French post was surprised by a partida chief on the right of the Tagus. The 30th of July he heard of the battle of Talavera; and as Lacy had reported the appearance of an enemy on the road beyond Toledo he was immediately reinforced and had Mora given as his point of retreat. On the 2nd ol August, Venegas, falsely informed by Cuesta that the allies were going to march upon Madrid, concentrated all his troops at Aranjuez, pretending he also would march on the capital; for the junta, having no wish to see Cuesta at the head of sixty thousand men in that capital, had before the battle of Talavera forbad him to enter and named another governor.

VOL. II. O

' But there was a more serious consideration, namely, the constant and shameful misbehaviour of the Spanish troops before the enemy. We, in England,' said sir Arthur, ' never hear of their defeats and flights, yet I have heard Spanish officers telling of nineteen or twenty actions of the description of that at the bridge of Arzobispo, accounts of which, I believe, have never been published. In the battle of Talavera,' he continued, 'in which the Spanish army, with very trifling exception, was not engaged — whole corps threw away their arms and ran off when they were neither attacked nor threat- ened with an attack. When these dastardly soldiers run away they plunder everything they meet. In their flight from Talavera they plundered the baggage of the Britisli army, which was at that moment bravely fighting in their cause.