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drove the enemy before him

Spanish translation: rechazó al enemigo/replegó al enemigo/hizo replegar al enemigo (más de una milla)

10:19 Oct 3, 2012
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Military / Defense / Spanish Independence War 1813
English term or phrase: drove the enemy before him
Me he encontrado dos veces con esta expresión en una serie de textos sobre la Guerra de la Independencia española y las batallas que tuvieron lugar en la costa este de España alrededor de 1812-1813. No acabo de ver el sentido del verbo "drive" en este caso, ¿quizá "desplazar" al enemigo?.

"This Advance fell back on the next Post followed by Lieu[tenan]t Col[one]l Monets skirmishers; and the Enemy having sent forward reinforcements, there was a very warm fire kept upon boath [sic.] sides, during which Monet ***drove the Enemy before him*** for more than a mile, at which time the French considerably reinforced their skirmishers, and having drawn up in position a Battalion of about 600 Infantry, and 150 horse, I directed Lieu[tenan]t Col[one]l Monet to retire slowly towards Concentayna in the hope of drawing the Enemy from his position."

"With this Intention on the 6th Inst[ant] I directed the March of a part of the Army on Alcoy and attacked that Post on the morning of the 7th but by the unfortunate delay of the Column which was destined to cut off his retreat the Enemy effected his escape. Had this Column arrived a quater [sic.] of an hour before, not a man could have got off. The Advance Guard of the Column destined to attack the Enemy in front, ***drove him about 6 or 7 miles***, when I found the Soldiers so much fatigued, that even had I wished I could have pressed him no further. The Country over which the Enemy retired was extremely favorable for him, and certainly might have been much better defended."
César Cornejo Fuster
Local time: 10:16
Spanish translation:rechazó al enemigo/replegó al enemigo/hizo replegar al enemigo (más de una milla)
Explanation:
En este texto se relata la situación:

http://books.google.es/books?id=_kitpgZ37cIC&pg=PA344&lpg=PA...

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Note added at 56 mins (2012-10-03 11:16:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"rechazar_Resistir al enemigo, obligándolo a retroceder."
DRAE
Selected response from:

Marta Moreno Lobera
Spain
Local time: 10:16
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2rechazó al enemigo/replegó al enemigo/hizo replegar al enemigo (más de una milla)
Marta Moreno Lobera
5picaba la retaguardia
Vitaliy Rysyuk
4 +1hizo retroceder al enemigo ante sí
Diana Falcón
4hacer retroceder
Andrés Martínez


  

Answers


27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
hacer retroceder


Explanation:
Eso entiendo, hacer retroceder o desplazar.

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Note added at 38 mins (2012-10-03 10:58:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Monet hizo retroceder (o desplazó) al enemigo más de una milla...

La ¿fuerza de vanguardia? de la columna ... obligó a retroceder al enemigo seis o siete millas...

Andrés Martínez
Spain
Local time: 10:16
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 44
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53 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
rechazó al enemigo/replegó al enemigo/hizo replegar al enemigo (más de una milla)


Explanation:
En este texto se relata la situación:

http://books.google.es/books?id=_kitpgZ37cIC&pg=PA344&lpg=PA...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 56 mins (2012-10-03 11:16:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"rechazar_Resistir al enemigo, obligándolo a retroceder."
DRAE

Marta Moreno Lobera
Spain
Local time: 10:16
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jaime Oriard
2 hrs
  -> Gracias Jaime y saludos.
agree  Victoria Frazier: Voto por rechazó o replegó.
5 hrs
  -> Muchas gracias Victoria. Un saludo.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
picaba la retaguardia


Explanation:
meaning "to be on one's enemy's heels

Example sentence(s):
  • Como último recurso, se resolvió dar una carga contra la infantería de Prieto que picaba la retaguardia y que aún no estaba protegida por los cañones
  • El duque de Berwich con su ejército picaba la retaguardia á los aliados, hasta que en los llanos de Almansa, en 25 de abril de 1707, dió la batalla,

    Reference: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalla_de_Lircay
    Reference: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalla_de_Almansa
Vitaliy Rysyuk
Ukraine
Local time: 11:16
Native speaker of: Native in UkrainianUkrainian, Native in RussianRussian
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
hizo retroceder al enemigo ante sí


Explanation:
"Ante sí", porque no sólo hace retroceder al enemigo, sino que avanza al mismo tiempo, no permanece en una posición estática. También podría decirse que "empujó" al enemigo, término que para los militares no es en absoluto desconocido, y tampoco inusitado en los libros de historia. Pero no es más que una sugerencia, claro está. Suerte.

Diana Falcón
Local time: 10:16
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in CatalanCatalan

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Domingo Trassens
1 day 1 hr
  -> ¡Thank you very much, Domingo! :-)
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