Original sentence: Before Bessières could turn on Cuesta, the Spanish general, rather than follow Blake in retreat, formed his troops into columns and hurled them uphill at the Imperial army, now drawn up on the ridge.Bessières was robbed of a complete annihilation by the sacrifice of a lone battalion of regular troops from Navarre which stood its ground against the swarming cavalry while Blake's half of the army made good its escape over the Sequillo river
Edited sentence: Before Bessières could turn on Cuesta, the Spanish general, quite unwilling to follow Blake in retreat, formed his troops into columns and hurled them uphill at the Imperial army, now drawn up on the ridge.Blake was saved from complete annihilation by the sacrifice of a lone battalion of regular troops from Navarre which stood its ground against the swarming cavalry while Blake's half of the army made good its escape over the Sequillo river