ile the French were on the other, so that
any person who chose to put his head over from either side was sure of
getting a sword or a bayonet up his nostrils. This situation was, of
course, too good to be of long endurance. The victory, I believe, was
never for a moment doubtful. The enemy were so completely
out-generalled, and the superiority of our troops was such, that to
carry their positions required little more than the time necessary to
march to them. After forcing their centre, the fourth division and our
own got on the flank and rather in rear of the enemy's left wing, who
were retreating before Sir Rowland Hill, and who, to effect their
escape, were now obliged to fly in one confused mass. Had a single
regiment of our dragoons been at hand, or even a squadron, to have
forced them into shape for a few minutes, we must have taken from ten
to twenty thousand prisoners. After marching along side of them for
nearly two miles, and as a disorderly body will always move faster
than an orderly one, we had the mortification to see them gradually
heading us, until they finally made their escape. I have no doubt but
that our mounted gentlemen were doing their duty as they ought in
another part of the field; yet, it was impossible to deny ourselves
the satisfaction of cursing them all, because a portion had not been
there at such a critical moment. Our elevated situation, at this
time, afforded a good view of the field of battle to our left, and I
could not help being struck with an unusual appearance of unsteadiness
and want of confidence among the French troops. I saw a dense mass of
many thousands occupying a good defensible post, who gave way in the
greatest confusion, before a single line of the third division, almost
without feeling them. If there was nothing in any other part of the
position to justify the movement, and I do not think there was, they
ought to have been flogged, every man, from the general downwards.

The ground was particularly favourable to the retreating foe, as every
half-mile afforded a fresh and formidable position, so that, from the
commencement of the action to the city of Vittoria, a distance of six
or eight miles, we were involved in one continued hard skirmish. On
passing Vittoria, however, the scene became quite new and infinitely
more amusing, as the French had made no provision for a retreat; and,
Sir Thomas Graham having seized upon the great road to France, the
only one left open was