The British army accordingly advanced in pursuit of Marshal Massena, and the brigade in which was the SEVENTY-FIRST accompanied it, moving by Redinha, Miranda de Corvo, and Saryedes, passing the Coa, a little above Sabugal, upon the 5th of April, and on the 9th arrived at Albergaria, a small town on the frontiers of Spain. The SEVENTY-FIRST remained in Albergaria until the 2d of May, when the enemy, having been strongly reinforced, moved from Salamanca, and on that day crossed the frontier with a large convoy of provisions for Almeida, then closely invested by the Portuguese forces under Brigadier-General Pack.
In consequence of this movement, the allied army broke up its cantonments on the Azava, and formed in order of battle upon the high ground behind the Duas Casas, the left extending to the high road to Almeida which crossed the river by a ford near Fort Conception, and the right keeping up a communication with the bridge at Sabugal; opposite the centre, the village of _Fuentes d’Onor_ was strongly occupied by light infantry.
Upon the 3d of May the French took post on the opposite side of the valley of the Duas Casas, their left fronting Fuentes d’Onor, and their right extending about two miles and a half to Alameda. In the afternoon of the 3d of May they attacked Fuentes d’Onor with much vigour. That post was defended with the greatest bravery until the light companies, being worn out and harassed by repeated attacks, were obliged to retire, and the enemy possessed himself of the lower part of the village.
The SEVENTY-FIRST were now ordered up to support, and, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel the Honorable Henry Cadogan, charged the enemy through the village and across the Duas Casas, taking ten officers and about a hundred men prisoners. The corps retained its conquest that night and the whole of the next day, but upon Sunday the 5th of May, the French having succeeded in turning some troops to the immediate right, were obliged to give way; having been immediately supported by the seventy-fourth and eighty-eighth regiments, they again advanced, took possession of and retained the village until the conclusion of the action.
A struggle of such duration could not be carried on without great loss, and the SEVENTY-FIRST suffered severely. They went into action about 320 strong, and lost nearly one half of their number in killed and wounded.