ABSTRACT
It had taken Pakenham’s long slender columns of infantry nearly an hour to wend their way forward. On their right walked the squadrons of Victor Alten’s cavalry, the 1st Hussars, King’s German Legion, and the 14th Light Dragoons, while on the outer flank rode D’Urban’s Portuguese. At the start of the approach march, the right of the Portuguese cavalry rested on the river Zurguen; as they progressed it seems that in the distance D’Urban discerned some movement on the Monte de Azan, and perhaps anxious that Pakenham would not find the French flank, trotted on ahead of his men to observe the French dispositions more closely. He probably followed the line of the Zurguen which here runs south and diverged to the right of the line of advance. Shortly afterwards Pakenham swung to his left, south-east.
