Terence at once ordered his men to lay down their arms.
"You have done all that men could do," he said.

"You have saved your comrades, and it is no dishonour to yield to twenty times your own force.

Form up in column, ready to march." The commander of the cavalry again rode up, this time accompanied by another officer.
"The general wishes to know, sir," the latter said in English, "who you are, and what force this is ?" "I am Colonel O'Connor, holding that rank in Lord Beresford's army; and have the honour to be on the staff of Sir Arthur Wellesley, though at present detached on special service.

The two battalions that have marched up the hill are the Minho regiment of Portuguese, under my command.

We were posted on the Sierra and, being cut off from rejoining the British by the advance of Marshal Soult's army, were endeavouring to retire across the mountains into Portugal, when you cut us off." The officer translated the words to the general.
"Tell him," the latter said, "that if all the Portuguese fought as well as those troops, there would have been no occasion for the British to come here to aid them.