, ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁Sp ani ards , ▁across ▁the ▁Sierra ▁de ▁C ac eres . ▁Early ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁Marsh al ▁André ▁Mass é na ▁to ▁convey ▁to ▁the ▁em peror ▁the ▁critical ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁army ▁before ▁the ▁L ines ▁of ▁Tor res ▁V ed ras . ▁This ▁commission , ▁though ▁one ▁of ▁great ▁per il ▁— ▁the ▁country ▁being ▁in ▁a ▁complete ▁state ▁of ▁ins urre ction ▁— ▁he ▁successfully ▁accomplished , ▁for ▁which ▁service ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁general ▁of ▁division . ▁ ▁Service ▁in ▁Spain ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁F oy ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sal aman ca ▁and ▁covered ▁the ▁retre at ▁of ▁the ▁defeated ▁French ▁army . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁those ▁who , ▁when ▁Well ington ▁raised ▁the ▁sie ge ▁of ▁Burg os ▁and ▁retre ated ▁to ▁the ▁Dou ro , ▁hung ▁upon ▁his ▁rear ▁and ▁took ▁some ▁prisoners ▁and ▁art illery . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁dis aster s ▁in ▁Russia ▁and ▁Well ington ' s ▁consequ ent ▁res umption ▁of ▁off ensive ▁movements , ▁F oy ▁was ▁sent ▁with ▁his ▁division ▁beyond ▁Vitt oria ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁different ▁parties ▁in ▁check . ▁After ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁Vitt oria , ▁at ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁present , ▁he ▁collected ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁troops ▁of ▁different ▁divisions ▁at ▁Berg ana , ▁and ▁had ▁some ▁success ▁in ▁sk irm ishes