July 22d.--A sharp fire of musketry commenced at day light in the
morning; but, as it did not immediately concern us, and was nothing
unusual, we took no notice of it; but busied ourselves in getting our
arms and our bodies disengaged from the rust and the wet, engendered
by the storm of the past night.
About ten o'clock, our division was ordered to stand to their arms,
and then moved into position, with our left resting on the Tormes, and
our right extending along a ridge of rising ground, thinly
interspersed with trees, beyond which the other divisions were formed
in continuation, with the exception of the third, which still remained
on the opposite bank of the river.
The enemy were to be seen in motion on the opposite ridges, and a
straggling fire of musketry, with an occasional gun, acted as a sort
of prelude to the approaching conflict. We heard, about this time,
that Marmont had just sent to his _ci-devant_ landlord, in Salamanca,
to desire that he would have the usual dinner ready for himself and
staff at six o'clock; and so satisfied was "mine host" of the
infallibility of the French Marshal, that he absolutely set about
making the necessary preparations.
There assuredly never was an army so anxious as ours was to be brought
into action on this occasion. They were a magnificent body of
well-tried soldiers, highly equipped, and in the highest health and
spirits, with the most devoted confidence in their leader, and an
invincible confidence in themselves. The retreat of the four preceding
days had annoyed us beyond measure, for we believed that we were
nearly equal to the enemy in point of numbers; and the idea of our
retiring before an equal number of any troops in the world was not to
be endured with common patience.
We were kept the whole of the forenoon in the most torturing state of
suspense through contradictory reports. One passing officer telling
us that he had just heard the order given to attack, and the next
asserting, with equal confidence, that he had just heard the order to
retreat; and it was not until about two o'clock in the afternoon, that
affairs began to wear a more decided aspect; and when our own eyes and
ears at length conveyed the wished-for tidings that a battle was
inevitable; for we saw the enemy beginning to close upon our right,
and the cannonade had become general along the whole line. Lord
Wellington, about the same time, ordered the movement which decided
the fate of the day--that of bringing the third division, from beyond
the river on our left, rapidly to our extreme right, turning the
enemy, in their attempt to turn us, and commencing the offensive with
the whole of his right wing. The effect was instantaneous and
decisive, for although some obstinate and desperate fighting took
place in the centre, with various success, yet the victory was never
for a moment in doubt; and the enemy were soon in full retreat,
leaving seven thousand prisoners, two eagles, and eleven pieces of
artillery in our hands. Had we been favoured with two hours more
daylight, their loss would have been incalculable, for they committed
a blunder at starting, which they never got time to retrieve; and,
their retreat was, therefore, commenced in such disorder, and with a
river in their rear, that nothing but darkness could have saved them.