The Dispatches of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington, vol. 5

27–28 July 1809

Battle of Talavera

SPAIN.

it was believed was on its march towards the Puerto de Banos. General Cuesta expressed some anxiety respecting this post, and sent me a message, to propose that Sir Robert Wilson should be sent there with his corps. Sir Robert was on that day at Talavera, but his corps was in the mountains towards Escalona ; and as he had already made himself very useful in that quarter, and had been near Madrid, with which city he had had a communication which I was desirous of keeping up, I proposed that a Spanish corps should be sent to Baiios without loss of time. I could not prevail with General Cuesta, although he certainly admitted the necessity of a reinforcement when he proposed that Sir Robert Wilson sliould be sent to

SPAIN.

ings of Spaniards, viz., by disgrace. When a number of pea- sants are collected together with arms in their hands, and in the garb of peasants, it is difficult to fix a mark upon those corps or individuals who have behaved ill, which shall point them out as objects of execration to the whole community : and yet it is acknowledged that a punishment of this description would have ten times the effect of that which was lately carried into execution in the Spanish army, on account of the misbehaviour of some corps in the battle of Talavera, viz., the putting to death every tenth man, of the number who ran away, and a third or fourth of the officers !

SPAIN.

' I have also to mention to your Excellency, in order to point out the description of assistance which is given to us in this country, that having applied for a remount of cavalry of only 100 mares, (which cannot be used by the Spanish cavalry, as they ride stallions,) I have not got one, or even an answer from the Government on the subject ; and having asked General Cuesta after the battle of Talavera, to assist me with 90 mules, to draw the British artillery, in lieu of those lost in the action, he refused to give me any, notwithstanding that there were hundreds in his army employed in drawing carts con- taining nothing. The consequence is, that I shall now be obliged to send back to Portugal, one, if not two brigades of artillery drawn by bullocks, if I should be able to procure these animals; if 1 should not, I must destroy them. * I have the honor to be, &c. '.Marquis IVellssley. ' Arthur Welleslkv.

SPAIN. 1809.

' From this distribution of their forces, it is obvious that they do not intend at present to undertake any offensive ope- ration : if any, it will be upon the right in La Mancha ; at the same time that if the combined armies were in a situation to be enabled to undertake any thing, they would experience great difficulty in the operation, and might be exposed to the same misfortune as that which stopped them lately, and de- prived them of the fruits of their victory at Talavera.