noon
By these stratagems two days ' march were gained , and the French retreated upon Torres Novas and Thomar , destroying the bridges behind them as they passed . The day was breaking on the 12th of March , when the British first came in sight of the retiring enemy . We were then ordered to the front , and broken up into small parties , threw out our skirmishers . The French chasseurs , usually not indisposed to accept this species of encounter , showed now less of inclination than usual , and either retreated before us , or hovered in masses to check our advance ; in this way the morning was passed , when towards noon we perceived that the enemy was drawn up in battle array , occupying the height above the village of Redinha . This little straggling village is situated in a hollow traversed by a narrow causeway which opens by a long and dangerous defile upon a bridge , on either side of which a dense wood afforded a shelter for light troops , while upon the commanding eminence above a battery of heavy guns was seen in position . In front of the village a brigade of artillery and a division of infantry were drawn up so skilfully as to give the appearance of a considerable force , so that when Lord Wellington came up he spent some time in examining the enemy 's position . Erskine 's brigade was immediately ordered up , and the Fifty-second and Ninety-fourth , and a company of the Forty-third were led against the wooded slopes upon the French right .