LETTER VIII.

CONTAINS A JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY'S ARMY, FROM ITS LANDING AT FIGUERAS TILL ITS ARRIVAL AT VIMIERA.

Torres Vedras, 10th September, 1808.

SUCH is the sameness of the life I lead here, that it could not afford you any amusement were I to describe it. I shall therefore transcribe a journal which I have received from a friend, who landed at Figueras with Sir Arthur Wellesley, and which will put you in possession of the history of the campaign, previously to my arrival in this country.

I shall write tʊ yʊù again in a few days.-Adieu.

Journal of the events which occurred from the landing of SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY'S Army at Figueras.

On Tuesday the 9th of August, 1808, at four o'clock A. M. the troops under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley landed at Figueras; after having remained there for some time, waiting the arrival of General Spencer, who

hove in sight, from Cadiz, on the 7th. The army, joined by this reinforcement, commenced its march towards Lisbon, and arrived at the village of St. Jean de Rue at two o'clock the same day, where they halted for that night. No particular occurrence took place on the march. The troops reached their resting place in good order, and apparently without much fatigue.

On the morning of the 10th they quitted St. Jean de Rue, and took up a position as before, in the open air, on the advantageous heights which surround the town of Leyria. Major-General Ferguson's brigade, and Briga dier-General Fane's, preceded the main column of the army two days march to Leyria. On our arrival there we formed a junction with them, We found the inhabitants of this town in great consternation, lest the French should revisit them. General Ferguson, indeed, had found the place almost deserted. The French had only evacuated it a few days before our arrival, and we were informed, had, at the distance of but a few miles, a force of from five to six thousand men, under the command of General Laborde. Sir Arthur and his staff were lodged in the bishop's palace, a very extensive building.

Leyria is a fine town, and the country which surrounds it is very beautiful,, On an eminence near the town is

an ancient castle, built by the Moors. Leyria is distant nineteen leagues N. N. E. from Lisbon.

On the morning of the 12th, the day of our quitting Leyria, three French prisoners were brought in by a party of Portuguese dragoons from Thomar, a town about three leagues distant from Leyria, and twenty-one leagues N. E. from Lisbon. The French, it appeared, had sent a party of five or six hundred men, to pillage Thomar, and seek for provisions. They had left there two persons attached to their commissariat department, with a very slight escort to see them safe out of the town, with some cart-loads of bread; which coming to the knowledge of the Portuguese troops, a party of their dragoons dashed into the place, and took them prisoners. The French

men appeared delighted at being delivered over to the English. We gained but little information from these

men.

As we advanced to Calveria, our halting-place for the night, reports of the French army being at no great distance from us became very prevalent. The troops having taken up their ground to the right, in the front of the village, Sir Arthur, at the head of the light troops, and a party of cavalry, advanced, in order to reconnoitre the French position. We learnt in the course of the day, that

our army might the next morning expect to be opposed by the enemy at a pass of some difficulty, a few miles in advance, on our road to Alcobaza.

A Portuguese, supposed to be a spy, was brought before the General. His guilt was so evident, that Sr Arthur threatened to hang him next morning, unless he gave a true account of all he knew respecting the French position. He then informed us, that the French army, under Laborde, were in possession of Alcobaza; that they occupied, above the town, a small Moorish castle, with the different surrounding heights, but had no troops in the valleys.

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On the 14th we left Calveria, fully persuaded we should have to dispute with the enemy some difficult passes, which lay in our road. Sir Arthur had formed his troops. into two distinct columns, to proceed by different routes. All the light infantry, and a party of Portuguese and English cavalry, making a strong advanced guard, were to feel their way, as well as to protect that part of the artillery which marched at the head of the two columns. Sir Arthur and his staff marched in front of the leading column, occasionally placing himself at the head of a small party of light troops and cavalry to reconnoitre. We thus continued our march, till we arrived at