6/28 Towards evening a staff officer rode up, at full speed, and handed a note to Terence. Trant has failed to check them, and the whole army must fall back. These are your instructions." The mishap had not been Trant's fault. He had been sent by the Portuguese general on a tremendous detour and, when he arrived at the position assigned to him, his troops were utterly exhausted by their long and fatiguing march. A large proportion had deserted or fallen out and, with but 1500 wearied and dispirited men, he could offer but little resistance to the French advance and, being attacked by their cavalry, had been driven away with loss. |