 |
On
the 29th July, D’Urban’s Portuguese cavalry
found King Joseph’s cavalry at Santa Maria de Nieva,
10 miles north of Segovia. On 31st July Wellington moved
his own headquarters and the 3rd Division to Cuellar with
the rest of the army behind him at El Pino on the Cega
river. He now paused to assess the situation, but on the
5th August, leaving a small force to contain the French
in the north he ordered the whole army to march on Segovia
and pushed Joseph back to Madrid, to where he was already
retreating. The main body including the 3rd Division left
Segovia on the 8th August. Headquarters were at San Ildefonso
on the 8th/9th, Nava Cerrada on the 10th and Torre Lodones
near Escorial on the 11th. Joseph left Madrid for Valencia
on the 11th and the very next day Wellington received
a tumultuous reception from the inhabitants as he entered
Madrid. John Gomersall in command
of the 21st |
Portuguese Regiment had taken part in the pursuit of Marmont
reaching the Douro by the end of the month, before spending
the next 2 weeks in a slow advance on Madrid. The 3rd
Division were involved in attacking the Retiro Palace
on the 13th August where the remnants of the French garrison
were holding out, but it is not known whether the 21st
regiment took part. The garrison surrendered without very
much resistance and were taken prisoner. |
