Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

34 HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE1808. In consequence of the time of yearand thedifficulties of marching large bodies of troops onindifferentroads, through a country which couldsupply next to nothing in the way of food, thearmyof Sir John Moore was scattered over agreat front of country; his artillery being faraway tohis right, and the lengthof his columnsuch that, although the head of it reachedSalamanca on the 13th of November,portion did not arrive there until the 23rd.the centreSir John's instructions on arrival, were " toopen communication with the Spanish authorities,for the purpose of framing the plan of campaign; but he found that the Spanish"forces,with which he was to co-operate,thoroughly routed, and that Napoleon,had beenwith anarmy of unknown strength, was already nearMadrid.His first object, therefore, was to unite thescattered divisions of his armv.*/Sir David Bairdhad landed at Corunna, and had marched histroops towards Astorga;but was still sixteendays distant, and it would take him more thantwenty daysto reach Salamanca with the mainbody.The defeat of the Spanish troops at Tudela on