during the night, alfonso xi had sent 1,000 horse and 4,000 foot troops to reinforce the tarifa garrison, hoping to surprise the enemy rearguard during the battle; they had met only slight resistance by the 3,000 light cavalry covering the salado and reached tarifa without difficulty. however, the officer commanding the light cavalry informed abu hasan that not a single christian had managed to enter tarifa during the night; whether he made his report in good faith, or in fear of admitting failure will never be known, but this omission had serious consequences next day.