ng that, if unsupported, this force must meet with disaster,
the Earl of Galway reluctantly ordered the troops under his
command to advance. The river was fordable, and they met with no
opposition, until they crossed it and formed up in order of
battle. The Portuguese horse were now divided on each wing, the
British were in the centre; a portion of the Portuguese infantry
were on either flank, the rest were in the rear.

"Captain Kennedy, you will carry my orders at once, to our
cavalry, to charge the Portuguese horse on the right wing."

Desmond saluted, and was about to ride off, when he paused a
moment and asked:

"May I charge with Brigadier Crofton's dragoons, sir?"

The marshal nodded, and Desmond galloped off. Crofton was in
command of the first line of cavalry. His own regiment, which was
composed partly of Irishmen and partly of Spaniards, was in the
centre of the line.

After delivering his orders to the general commanding the cavalry,
Desmond rode on to Crofton.

"The cavalry are going to charge, sir," he said, "and I have
permission to ride with you."

Crofton waited until the order from the general arrived, and then,
drawing his sword, shouted, "The first brigade will charge," and,
riding forward, led the way against the Portuguese horse, whose
cannon had already opened fire. The Portuguese fell into disorder
as soon as they saw the long line of horsemen charging down on
them like a torrent, and when it neared them broke and fled. They
were soon overtaken, great numbers were cut down, and the
remainder galloped off, a panic-stricken mob, and did not draw
rein until they reached Campo Mayor.

The Spaniards at once turned the five cannon the fugitives had
left behind them upon the allied infantry, and then, after a few
rounds had been fired, the cavalry charged the British infantry.
But they had now foes of a different metal to reckon with, and
although, three times, the horsemen reformed their ranks and
hurled themselves against the infantry, they were each time
repulsed with heavy loss.

Then, swerving round, they fell on the Portuguese infantry in the
second line, whom they dispersed as easily as they had defeated
the cavalry.

The Earl of Galway now brought up the brigade of Brigadier General
Pierce, which consisted of the two British regiments of Barrimore
and Stanwix, and a Spanish regiment which had been recently raised
and named after himself. These charged the enemy with great
bravery