Our position is evidently a dangerous one.

If the news has reached Sir Arthur, he will have fallen back from Talavera at once.

Victor will no doubt follow on his heels, and his cavalry and those of Soult will speedily meet each other.
Therefore it will be, in all ways, best to see how matters develop themselves before moving down into the plain." Accordingly two of the troopers were sent off with information that 15,000 French were already in the valley, and that as many more would be there on the following day.

Then the regiment marched across the Sierra and took post high up on the slope, with Plasencia ten miles away on the right, and the spires of Oropesa visible across the valley.
On the following day another army corps was seen descending from Banos to Plasencia, while a large body of troops marched from that town to Navalmoral, thus cutting off the retreat of the British by the bridge of boats at Almaraz.

Clouds of dust on the distant plain showed that a portion, at least, of the Allied Army had arrived at Oropesa; and bodies of French cavalry were made out, traversing the plain and scattering among the villages.