Fletcher now returned to the routine tasks of an engineer officer and dispatched Burgoyne to survey the course of the river Douro from Oporto to the river Agueda, over 100 miles inland.³⁴ At the same time, Lieutenant Williams was also dispatched to survey the river Tamega. Other engineer officers were carrying out independent roles in central Spain. Lieutenant Frank Stanway was with Sir Robert Wilson and the Loyal Lusitanian Legion, strengthening the defences at the key crossing-point over the Tagus at Alcantara. He also took the precaution of laying a mine on the bridge. When it was approached by a French force on 10 June, Stanway initially commanded the batteries defending the bridge and when there was concern it would be taken, blew an arch.³⁵ Clearly some progress had been made since Corunna, where Charles Pasley complained the engineers had failed to effectively destroy bridges during the retreat. Stanway disabled a bridge that had withstood everything nature and man could throw at it for 1,700 years. I am sure it is something he would not want to be remembered for.

The rigours of field operations were already having an effect, with three engineer officers being unfit for duty and there being too few to meet the demands on them. On 31 May, Fletcher wrote home saying Wellesley had asked for ten more engineer officers to be sent out.³⁶ This request generated a petty response back in England: ‘It seems very extraordinary Sir Arthur should be applying for more Engineers, since it does not appear from his public dispatches that he had made any use of those already with him.’³⁷ Being mentioned in dispatches was important to both individuals and their units. It was the only public recognition of their services and could lead to promotion for the officers involved. The Board of Ordnance was particularly sensitive about how they were reported since they were not part of the army and their relationship with it was often strained. Whilst the Royal Engineers were generally well treated in dispatches, the Royal Artillery had a much more difficult time.

Fletcher’s correspondence shows that he continued to dispatch officers to survey the country. He was clearly trying to build a comprehensive picture as surveys in June and July 1809 included Burgoyne surveying the Minho and the province of Entre-Douro-e-Minho; Jones reported on the route of the river Alagon; Chapman on the fords on the Tagus below Abrantes; Williams reported on the Tagus, Mondego and Sierra Estrella and Jones reported on the River Tietar. The latter reconnaissance was likely done for Wellesley’s planned joint operation with the Spanish General Cuesta.

This constant movement was having a terrible impact on the finances of the engineers, particularly the younger ones. Jones recorded in June 1809 that he bought a pony for 60 dollars as the back of his horse was too sore to ride. The horse that had cost him 90 dollars died later in the month and Jones was faced with the expense of replacing it. When Fletcher ordered him to survey the river Zezere he had to report that he was unable through lack of transport. The nature of the duties they carried out meant that they had to employ a servant to take care of their personal belongings, which as a minimum meant they had to provide three horses or mules. Whilst the military provided basic rations for man and horse, the cost of the horses and servants had to be provided from the officers’ pay. This huge expense was recognised and the basic pay for an engineer officer was doubled when on active service. However, this was still insufficient and there was a constant stream of letters throughout the war from the commanding engineers to the Board of Ordnance complaining about the huge personal expense. This was one of the hidden barriers to being an officer in the military. Without personal wealth it was very difficult to survive on army pay and the higher you rose in the ranks the more difficult it became. An army officer was in a slightly better position as he had some access to regimental transport and could use soldiers as servants, which significantly reduced personal costs.

From Oporto, Wellesley’s army now started moving south, travelling through Coimbra and arriving at Abrantes in early June, the army remaining there whilst the troops concentrated and Wellesley waited for money to be delivered from Lisbon, without which he would be unable to buy supplies as he moved across central Spain. Transport and food remained major concerns for the commander. On 28 June the army moved forward, reaching Plasencia on 9 July. Jones was active through this period surveying the Alagon and Tietar rivers in the vicinity of Plasencia. He noted in his diary that Lieutenant D of the Portuguese engineers accompanied him. There is little evidence that the Portuguese engineers were working outside of their country early in the war, but clearly they were. Jones also recorded being asked by the local junta at Plasencia to identify a spot to place a bridge across the river Tietar. Jones met with Sir Robert Wilson and spent some time at his headquarters. Over the next few days, Jones carried messages between Wilson and Wellesley before arriving at Talavera on 22 July where he was appointed adjutant with a welcome three shillings a day extra pay. Fletcher and Mulcaster also visited the bridge at Alcantara to determine if a repair was possible ‘but seeing [that it] was an undertaking of too great magnitude to be executed without much time, labour, means and money neither of which appeared to be forthcoming the Colonel determined to report accordingly to Sir Arthur.’³⁸ Fletcher had taken the time to find and speak to Senor Miranda, the local master mason, who stated that the repair was beyond him.

On 11 July Wellesley rode to meet Cuesta near Almaraz. A plan of action was agreed and the two armies met at Oropesa, just short of Talavera where the French awaited them. The British army left Plasencia on 17 July and the next day, according to Fortescue, ‘the whole army passed over a flying bridge at La Bazagona’.³⁹ This was the first major bridge built by the Royal Staff Corps, two companies being present under the command of Captain Alexander Todd. Rice Jones’ report, mentioned above, from his reconnaissance of the river Tietar was written on 11 July. In it, he mention the ford at Bazagona as being readily passable, but more importantly states that the roads to the ford were good, I would assume that Wellesley had seen the report before he issued his orders for the placement of the bridge.