twelve o'clock
The 82d and 71st , speedily recovered from their surprise , rallied on some higher ground , and then , after pouring in a tremendous volley of musketry , charged with a mighty shout and overthrew the French brigade and recovered the guns . Brennier himself was wounded and taken prisoner , and Ferguson having completely broken up the brigade opposed to him would have forced the greater part of Solignac 's troops to surrender , if he had not been required to halt by an unexpected order . The French veterans speedily rallied , and in admirable order , protected by their cavalry , marched off to join their comrades who had been defeated in their attack upon the British centre . It was now twelve o'clock ; the victory was complete ; thirteen guns had been captured . Neither the 1st , 5th , nor Portuguese brigades had fired a shot , and the 4th and 8th had suffered very little , therefore Sir Arthur resolved with these five brigades to push Junot closely , while Hill , Anstruther , and Fane were to march forward as far as Torres Vedras , and , pushing on to Montechique , cut him off from Lisbon . Had this operation been executed Junot would probably have lost all his artillery , and seven thousand stragglers would have been driven to seek shelter under the guns of Elvas , from which fortress , however , he would have been cut off had Moore landed as Sir Arthur wished at Mondego . Unhappily , however , the latter was no longer commander-in-chief .