of the troops under Ferdinand the Holy, Ferdinand of Arraiolos and Bishop Álvaro of Evora, to defend their flanks and keep the Moroccan relief army at bay, but the second assault failed as badly as the first. The city's defenders rushed to the critical points, and poured on rapid and heavy missile fire. The Portuguese assaulters were prevented from reaching the walls (only one ladder managed to be set up – and was promptly destroyed). Moroccan turnaround Second relief army (October 9) On October 9, Henry was preparing his third assault when he received intelligence of a new massive Moroccan relief army – reported (with doubtless exaggeration) to be some 60,000 horse and 700,000 foot. This massive army was led by Abu Zakariya Yahya al-Wattasi (Lazeraque), the vizier of the Marinid sultan Abd al-Haqq II of Fez (whom the chroniclers suggest was present). The chroniclers report the army was composed of "many kings" (Fez, Marrakesh, Sijilmassa, Velez, etc.). The Tangier relief campaign was probably the first time since 1419 that a unified army from all of Morocco had been assembled. Prince Henry realized the Portuguese were hopelessly outnumbered, that the siege was lost and the best they could do was to fight an orderly rearguard action back to the ships. All the seamen were ordered to prepare sail, and the army was arrayed to defend a retreat of the assault force to the fortified siege camp lines. The marshal Coutinho was given command of the artillery, the admiral Almada took the infantry, and Henry took command of the cavalry. The arriving Moroccan army did not pause but attacked at once. The Portuguese advance posts quickly were overwhelmed, and the way to the city cleared. The Moroccans then charged the Portuguese forces. The artillery batteries were overrun and taken. The Moroccan charge then turned on Henry's cavalry – which broke and beat a retreat to the siege camp line. Henry's horse was killed from under him, effectively disabling his ability to survey the field and organize the retreat. It is said that Henry was alone on foot for a while, surrounded by Moroccan cavalry, and saved only by the heroics and personal sacrifice of Fernão Alvares Cabral and a group of his guards who rushed in to extract him. The retreat nearly turned into a rout when about 1,000 of the Portuguese soldiers, nobles among them, abandoned the siege line and