There has been a great deal of firing the whole of this Day from the Batteries at Almeida, from which it is conjectured that the Enemy are raising Works in order to commence the Siege of that Fortress.
The People here are in the greatest possible consternation; Cars and Mules laden with valuables are hourly leaving the Town, and I apprehend the greater number of Inhabitants will quit the place on the near approach of the French.
30th. We now form the advance of the Army, and there is no doubt shall commence our retreat, as soon as the Enemy show themselves in force, it being generally believed that Lord Wellington has at present no intention of bringing the French to an Engagement. This place is nearly deserted, scarcely a family remaining. The Nuns have quitted the Convent, having obtained a Dispensation for that purpose. With the exception of two or three they left it almost broken hearted. I was particularly affected at seeing one of them (the oldest of the community and who I find is one hundred and seventeen years of age) quit the place she had not been out of before for seventy-six years. She has kept her Bed a great while, but with the exception of her Sight she retains all her faculties. She was laid on a Car, and bore her Sufferings without a Murmur, but fervently praying that she might be released from them while on the Road to the place she was going to. Having been in the building every Day the last six weeks attending on a sick Nun, I had an opportunity of knowing several of them, and most worthy People many of them were, particularly the Lady Abbess. She quitted the Convent last night, and I attended her some distance out of the Town. She evidently laboured under the severest mental Anguish: my Heart bled for her. On parting with her she offered up a most fervent Prayer for my happiness here and hereafter, and assured me that it would afford her the most sincere gratification, could I in the event of getting' safe out of the Country find means to make^her acquainted with it.
We perceive ^distinctly the Firing at Almeida, which is to-day carried on on both sides with great spirit. Our Baggage is kept constantly packed, but we do not expect to march till the Enemy shall have possessed themselves of that Garrison.
AUGUST
Augst. 4th. The Enemy continue before Almeida, but, as all communication is cut off between that place and this, we are ignorant of the progress they make in the Siege. They pushed their Patrols last night within a league and a half of this Garrison. Lord Wellington is at Celerico, but the main body of the Army is considerably in the rear. It is now generally conceived that Lord W. will, if possible, bring the Enemy to action between Ponte de Murcella & Coimbra, and from the very great strength of the Position he augurs a complete triumph.
6th. This Morning pursuant to the sentence of a general Court Martial two soldiers of the 97th Regiment were shot in presence of the whole Garrison paraded for that purpose. The one was a German, the other an Irishman. They met their fate with remarkable firmness.
A large party of Portugueze Peasantry yesterday attacked a French foraging Party, & succeeded in killing an officer and twenty-four men. They came in here this Morning, bringing with them the Horses & Arms of the Enemy. From the enormities committed by the French, it is not to be wondered at that the Portugueze pursue so sanguinary a mode of warfare; but, if persisted in, the war must inevitably become a war of extermination.
9th. The Enemy have not yet opened their Batteries on Almeida. It is difficult to account for this delay. The Deserters and Prisoners generally agree that they will not advance into this Country till the Conquest of that Fortress shall have been effected. In the meantime Lord W. is making every preparation to give them a warm reception. We amuse ourselves in this place chiefly at Cricket, and from the ground where we play can distinctly see the Fire from the Garrison of Almeida. From the Spirit with which the Officers in general enter into this game one would hardly suppose there was an Enemy within an hundred Leagues of us.
A Spaniard well-known by the Name of Don Julian was here yesterday on his way to Celerico to have an interview with Lord Wellington. He is a most enterprising Character, and in the last three Months has succeeded in destroying a great Number of the Enemy. He gives no Quarter to any who make resistance. His followers sometimes amount to a thousand, at others he cannot muster fifty. They make a great deal by plunder, and absent themselves for the purpose of spending their Money; which having done they again join his Standard.
19th. The Enemy have only this Day opened their Batteries. The Firing on both Sides has been 1 terrible. Various are the Opinions as to the time the Garrison will be able to hold out, a Week, ten Days, a Month, and some think even to the first of October. Every Day will be of consequence as the Harvest is nearly all in, and there^will be time afforded to transport it to the Rear, which must greatly distress the Enemy when they advance.
21st. Head Quarters remove this Day to Alverche, and the Regts. in the rear are marching forward. Whether it is intended to relieve Almeida or not must soon be determined. This Movement has excited much confidence among the People here.
31st. Since the last date affairs have very materially altered. It appears the Enemy did not open upon Almeida till the 26th, and not on the 19th as was supposed. That same Evening a Shell fell into a large Building containing the Powder and Ammunition in an immense quantity, which exploded and destroyed the whole Town. The loss of lives on this melancholy occasion amounted it is said to upwards of a thousand. The Garrison capitulated on the 28th in consequence of this unlucky and unforeseen event. Measures of the utmost precaution have been adopted by Lord Wellington. The whole Army was Yesterday Morning in Motion; the Brigade of General Campbell in the Valley of Mondego moved a day's march towards Coimbra, and Genl. Cole's Brigade, in which is the 40th, moved to the Valley. A Battalion of Light Infantry alone remains in Guarda. The Town itself is almost entirely forsaken by the Inhabitants. None but the poorest Class of Inhabitants remain. We are quartered in a Village called Faya situated on the Mondego. Our sojourn here of course depends on the Movements of the Enemy. The Valley is certainly one of the most beautiful situations in Portugal. The Vines are in immense abundance; but the Grapes will not be ripe this Fortnight, and ere that in all probability we shall have retrograded many Leagues.
It does not appear that any blame attaches to Col. Cox, the Governor of Almeida. The powder was secured in a Bomb Proof, and it is supposed a train must have been unfortunately laid from some damaged Bag, on which a Shell fell and caused the fatal explosion. Col. C. did not surrender till he had fired away the last round of Ammunition. He was much beloved by the Garrison. He is of course (with the few other English Officers that were at Almeida) a prisoner of war.
SEPTEMBER
Sepr. 5th. On the ad. instant we received orders to quit Faya, and proceeded to a village called Villa de Porco, half a League distant only, but more in the line of March in case of a sudden Order. We had just begun to make ourselves comfortable in this latter place, when we were directed to proceed as quick as possible to Lenhares, intelligence having been received that the Enemy had forced our Dragoons at Alverca, and that they were only two Leagues and a half from us on our Flank. It was nearly dark when we marched. Our road lay across the Mountains through a Road nearly impassable. The night being dark rendered the March a most fatiguing one. It was nearly four in the Morning when we reached Lenhares, pretty well tired. On our arrival there we found an order to proceed again at five for a village called Santa Marinha. The Day being very hot, the Men were generally quite knocked up by the time they reached their Quarters. Santa Marinha is a large but extremely irregular Village situated in a beautiful Country, half a League out of the Road from Celerico to Coimbra. We fully expected to have marched again Yesterday Morning, but the French do not appear to be advancing. Our Dragoons patrolled yesterday into Guarda, but could see nothing of them. General Cotton with the Cavalry is at Celerico, five leagues in our, rear. Lord Wellington is at a place called Gouvea about a League from hence. Between our Division and the Dragoons is the Light Division under Genl. Crawford; the remaining part of the Army is in our front.
7th. I rode this morning to Head Quarters, but was not able to collect a particle of News. The general opinion there is that the Contest in this Country is likely to be a very protracted one. The Enemy show no disposition whatever to advance. Our Picquets remain in Guarda; at Gouvea is a very large Convent, formally a celebrated retreat of the Jesuits but latterly inhabited by Nuns; they however with the other Societies of that kind have quitted their retirement and fled to their Friends.
11th. Intelligence has reached Head Quarters that the French entered Guarda on the evening of the 9th, and that Massena was to have his Head Quarters at Pinhel as yesterday. From the exhausted state of that part of the Country it is generally conceived they cannot remain there, but must either advance upon us or otherwise make a retrogade movement. With all our Money and the Command of the Country the Commissariat have great difficulty in supplying the Army. Unfortunately the Indian Corn is not yet ripe, or we should not leave the Enemy a single Article of subsistence.
17th. At nine in the Evening of the 15th we received Orders to march the following Morning at Day Break. This order was supposed to be in consequence of the Enemy having entered the Valley of Mondego. Our Route was to a small village called Vigea: at that place we had scarcely begun to make ourselves comfortable, when another order arrived to proceed without delay to Gallicis, two Leagues further on the road towards Ponte de Murcella. It was dark before we reached it. We continued our March this Morning, and after a great deal of Order, Counter Order and Disorder reached this place (Villa Cova) about Noon. It is the same distance from Ponte de Murcella as the place we remained at last Night, viz., five Leagues. Whatever are the present Movements of the Enemy, the Army is kept in entire ignorance of them; but from the short time we are now allowed to halt we conclude they are advancing upon us.
19th. At Daylight Yesterday Morng. we quitted Villa Cova, and after a long march through a Country more abounding in beautiful Scenery than Corn or Wine halted for the Night at a small Village called Paradella. This Morning we resumed our Route, and passed the Puente de Murcella, where our grand stand was to have been made. Our halt for the Night is at a Village called San Miguel, about a mile out of the high Road to Coimbra, and four Leagues from that City. The Enemy, it is supposed, aware of the immense strength of the position about Puente de Murcella have declined taking this route, and are gone by Vizeu. If they hope to reach Coimbra before us they will be mistaken, as two Divisions of the British Army enter it this Evening. The Country round Coimbra is extremely strong and capable of defence. Many are therefore of opinion that Lord Wellington will make a stand there. Others think we shall not oppose the enemy till we reach Leyria, which is a still stronger Position. There is every reason to believe that the French Army is by no means so strong as has been supposed. Indeed it is now confidently asserted that they cannot bring sixty thousand musquets into the Field, and, as they advance into the interior, their force will rapidly decrease from Sickness and other Casualties. On the contrary we are retreating upon reinforcements. Besides a considerable force landed a few days since in Lisbon, accounts have this day reached Head Quarters of the arrival of three thousand men in Mondego Bay, which from their proximity can immediately join the Army. Certain it is that we never anticipated with so much confidence as at present the entire defeat of the Enemy, should they dare to attack us.
22nd. On the 20th at daylight we quitted San Miguel, and in the course of the forenoon crossed the Mondego at a Ford called Barca de Conselto. The crossing of the River excited a good deal of astonishment throughout the Army, as it was generally supposed that our Position would be immediately in the vicinity of Coimbra. Our halt that night was at Penna Cova, where we found very good accommodation, and from the circumstance of our advancing towards the Enemy the Inhabitants were more civil than we had experienced from them while we were retrograding. Yesterday Morning we again commenced our route and marched several Leagues thro' cross Roads, till we reached the high Road leading from Coimbra to Vizeu. We halted at a most miserable Village called Sula, where we could with difficulty procure covering even for the Officers, the Men being obliged to go into Huts. Here we still remain, and are likely to do so till the Enemy come on us, our positions being all round this Neighbourhood. Nothing in appearance can be stronger than the Country about here. The Roads are extremely narrow, passing through immense Chains of Mountains, which will entirely prevent the Cavalry of the Enemy from getting into Action. Our advanced Parties are continually skirmishing. The Portugueze under Brigr. Genl. Pack were yesterday engaged, and very much distinguished themselves.
They took fifty Prisoners. The French as they advance use the Inhabitants most cruelly, from which we infer that they despair themselves of gaining the Country, or otherwise they would be more likely to conciliate. Lord Wellington's Head Quarters are near this place, at a celebrated Convent called Busaco. It is the finest building of the kind in Portugal, and well known formerly as an Exile for Persons of Rank from the Court. Lord W. is constantly on Horseback reconnoitring, and if we may judge from his Countenance & Spirits he anticipates a complete triumph over the Enemy. This place is about four Leagues from Coimbra, and the Advanced Posts of the French are within two Leagues of us.
24th. We still remain at Sula, but are in constant expectation of an order to change our ground a little more to the left. There was smart skirmishing yesterday a few miles in our front. The firing was very loud and distinct. Last night the whole of the Cavalry retired to our rear. The Light Division continue in advance. If hardly pressed they will fall back upon us, and the action is then likely to become general. All has been quiet hitherto this Day, and it is now past Noon.
OCTOBER
October 7th. I take up my Narrative from the last Date, which has been a most eventful period, but having lost my Memorandums, my sketch will, I fear, be very imperfect. On the 25th Ulto. the attack of the Enemy on our Light Troops was of that Nature, that the Comr. of the Forces, perceiving they meditated a general attack, directed them to retire, which they did in the most perfect order. In the meantime the whole Army took up its position on a ridge of Mountains a little way in the rear of the Villages they had occupied. This position may justly be considered one of the strongest in the World. The enemy advanced to the ground we had quitted. Hope brightened the countenance of Lord Wellington, as he observed their approach. Skirmishing continued during the Afternoon, but nothing material occurred. On the morning of the 26th there was a thick Fog, which at length cleared up, and displayed to each other the Rival Armies drawn up on opposite Hills. A Valley between of considerable breadth separated them: their Numbers appeared most formidable, but the eagerness evinced by our Troops to receive their attack may have been equalled but can never have been surpassed. The Morning passed with only now and then a random Shot. They were evidently unprepared. In the afternoon the skirmishing between the Light Troops became brisk; it ceased at Dusk without much loss on either side. General Officers were observed busily reconnoitring our Position, and the expectation of an Attack the following Morning was universal.—Our ideas were well founded; at dawn of Day the Enemy made a most furious Assault upon our Right & Centre. All remained quiet on the left, in which was our Division. We were consequently Spectators, and a most gratifying view we had of the whole Affair. Lord W. had directed the Troops to suffer the Enemy to come within a short distance of the top of the Hill, when they were to give them a deliberate Volley and charge. This we distinctly observed. They were almost instantly thrown into the greatest confusion, and fled precipitately. This Action lasted but a short time, and skirmishing concluded the Day. It was a subject of universal regret that they did not make a general attack upon us. From the nature of our position, and the valour of our Troops, there is little doubt but their Army would have been nearly annihilated. Our loss this day was, including Portugueze, seven hundred in killed and wounded. That of the enemy, as we have since been able pretty correctly to ascertain, was six General Officers, a great number of other Officers,
and four thousand Men. Gratifying as was the result of this Battle it was more particularly so from the great gallantry evinced by our Allies the Portugueze. It was true much had been expected from them by many, but there was a possibility of their failing in the hour of trial. Such however was their conduct during the Action (and they were very much engaged) that they gained the entire admiration of the whole British Army. Indeed they performed several individual Acts of Heroism that would have done honour to the Veteran Troops of any Nation. Having failed in their attempts on our right and centre, we were in hopes they would the next morning (28th) endeavour to force our left. In this however we were deceived. All remained tranquil, with the exception of skirmishing between the Sharp Shooters. They did not appear so numerous this Day as before, and in the afternoon we observed their Cavalry in motion & moving to the Rear. The opinion now became general, that they would no more attempt to dislodge us, but that they would either retrace their steps to the Frontiers, or otherwise endeavour to turn our left by outflanking us. At One in the Morning of the 29th Lord W., having received information that the Enemy were actually quitting their ground, ordered the whole British Army to march towards Coimbra. We halted one League from that place, entirely ignorant as to the route the Enemy had taken.
On the 30th we proceeded through Coimbra, and halted about half a league from it on the high Road leading to Lisbon. We ascertained this Day that the French were directing their course towards Coimbra with the utmost speed, and that their Advance Guard was only two Leagues from us. To facilitate their movements they abandoned all their wounded who were not Frenchmen, leaving them to be massacred by the Portugueze Peasantry. About seven hundred of these wretches were collected by our Rear Guard. A large part of our Army commenced its march this Day towards Lisbon, and it became pretty generally known that no further opposition would be made to the progress of the Enemy, till we should reach our lines in the Neighbourhood of the Capital.
The Journal of an Army Surgeon Page 6