La Cuadra abandoned Pozo Alcón on 8 August and fell back to the east in the direction of Huéscar. When he heard that Godinot was coming down from the northwest, Freire sent O'Donnell's 4,000 men to occupy a blocking position at Zújar and ordered La Cuadra to join him there. On 9 August 1811, Godinot's division encountered O'Donnell at Zújar. The French general's division included four battalions of the 8th Line, and three battalions each of the 16th Light and 54th Line Infantry Regiments. This force may have numbered as many as 8,000 men. Hoping to be reinforced by La Cuadra, O'Donnell placed his troops behind the Guardal River on the outskirts of town. In the afternoon, Godinot fell on the Spanish troops and routed them. O'Donnell's division lost 423 killed and wounded, and 1,000 captured or missing. Emilio de Diego Espana: El Infierno De Napoleon 2008 - Page 390 " ... de la guarnición granadina se marchó al encuentro del general español, mientras Godinot derrotaba a la División de Cruz Mour- geón en Zújar, causándole 1.400 bajas, y se abría camino a Baza"</ref> Results Godinot was only from Baza. Possession of that city would cut off Freire's retreat route, but the French general hesitated. La Cuadra was reported approaching from the east and his men were worn out from marching and fighting. So Godinot halted his troops and threw out scouts. Meanwhile, Freire heard of O'Donnell's rout and slipped away from the Gor ravine in the evening and marched his entire army through Baza at night. At daylight on 10 August, Soult found the Gor lines empty and ordered Latour-Maubourg to conduct an immediate pursuit. The French cavalry caught up with Freire's rear guard at Las Vertientes, east of Baza. The Spanish general posted the divisions of Loy and Osorio to protect his infantry. However, General of Brigade Pierre Benoit Soult led a charge which routed the Spanish cavalry. With their cavalry shattered, the Spanish infantry left the main highway and made for the hills. Creagh, Lardizabal, and La Cuadra retreated to the north in the direction of Caravaca de la Cruz while Sanz and O'Donnell withdrew to the south toward Oria and Albox. The flight was so rapid that one retreating column covered on the 10th. Marshal Soult reached Vélez-Rubio on the main highway with 12,000 troops. With Freire's army split in two, the city of Murcia, east