Skirmish in Catalonia
Pablo Lago

1 October 1808, San Jerónimo de la Muerta

Following the orders you gave me, yesterday at 8:00 in the evening I left camp with my Sergeant Major and some 600 miquelets from the tercio under my command. At midnight, to reach the enemy's camp on the far side of the Besos River, I led my men along the beaches and crossed the mouth of the river. I stopped half a Barcelonan league from the enemy's rearguard. At 5:00 in the morning, I attacked the enemy, who had a lot of infantry and cavalry. My troops charged with their bayonets with such intrepidity that the enemy was forced to give us time to regroup. Regardless, they succeeded in carrying their point and gave us two close volleys in their hurry to escape with their lives, which few did. I was later able to go to the enemy camp on which my troops fired, and found about 100 dead, including three officers and cavalry coronel, as well as many horses. The great part of the enemies' backpacks were recovered, some fusiles, and six horses loaded with food; these last were plundered before we reached our camp and I've not discovered the culprits. I only recovered two horses, and one was mortally wounded so I had it shot, a box full of various toiletries and a prisoner.

Archivo de Manresa, Legajo 29, Documento 1071
Translated by David Stewart, 1999