At nine o'clock in the evening it became known that the general plan of
attack predicted by Major Harrison was to be carried out. Some five
thousand men under General Ferguson were to ascend the hills on the left
of the valley, while Trant, with a thousand Portuguese infantry and some
Portuguese horse, were to move on the hills on the right; the centre, nine
thousand strong, and commanded by Sir Arthur himself, were to march
straight up the valley.

Early in the morning the British troops marched out from Obidos.
Ferguson's command at once turned to the left and ascended the hills,
while Trant's moved to the west.

After proceeding a short distance, Fane's brigade moved off from the road
and marched along the valley, equidistant from the main body and from
Ferguson, forming a connecting link between them; and on reaching the
village of St. Mamed, three-quarters of a mile from the French position,
Hill's brigade turned off to the right. From their elevated position the
French opened fire with their artillery, and this was answered by the
twelve guns in the valley and from Ferguson's six guns on the heights.
Fane's brigade, extended to its left, was the first in action, and drove
back the French skirmishers and connected Ferguson with the centre. They
then turned to attack the right of the French position; while Ferguson,
seeing no signs of Loison's force, descended from the high ground to the
rear of Fane, while the Portuguese pressed forward at the foot of the
hills on the other side of the valley and threatened the enemy's left
flank.


[Illustration: BATTLE OF ROLICA map.]