f the inhabitants
at its appearance were unbounded.

In a few hours the cannon were all mounted in position on the ramparts,
adding very much to the defensive power of the town, which was now safe
for a time from any attempt at a siege by Las Torres, whose plans would
be entirely frustrated by the capture of the artillery intended for the
siege.

But Peterborough was not yet contented. The junction of the four
thousand Castilians, of whose approach he had heard, with Las Torres
would raise the force under that general to a point which would enable
him to blockade the town pending the arrival of artillery for siege
works; and no sooner had the earl returned to his quarters, after seeing
the cannon placed upon the walls, than he began his preparations for
another expedition. He ordered Colonel Zinzendorf to march quietly out
of the city at eight o'clock with four hundred of his dragoons, and four
hundred British and as many Spanish infantry were to join him outside
the walls. The colonels of these three bodies were ordered to say
nothing of their intended movement, and to issue no orders until within
half an hour of the time named. At the same hour the rest of the troops
were to march to the walls and form a close cordon round them, so as to
prevent any one from letting himself down by a rope and taking the news
that an expedition was afoot to Las Torres.

At a few minutes past eight, eight hundred foot and four hundred horse
assembled outside the gates, and Peterborough took the command. His
object was to crush the Castilians before they could effect a junction
with Las Torres. In order to do this it would be necessary to pass close
by the Spanish camp, which covered the road by which the reinforcements
were advancing to join them.

In perfect silence the party moved forward and marched to a ford
across the river Xucar, a short distance only below the Spanish camp.
Peterborough rode at their head, having by his side a Spanish gentleman
acquainted with every foot of the country. They forded the river without
being observed, and then, making as wide a circuit as possible round the
camp, came down upon the road without the alarm being given; then they
pushed forward, and after three hours' march came upon the Castilians at
Fuente de la Higuera. The surprise was complete. The Spaniards, knowing
that the Spanish army lay between them and the town, had taken no
precautions, and the British were in possession of the place b