surrender of the capital, the treasons, weakness, and indecision of the Provincial Juntas, their want of union, and the small number of men in arms; but he would not listen to me. Why destroy all our bridges ?" said he, Why shoot your poor horses? Why burn your stores and waggons, and destroy your ammunition? If you will not stay here and use those things yourselves, why not give them to us ?"

I found that it would be in vain to lose time in debating the point with this violent licentiate. I therefore made a motion to be gone; but, getting between me and the door, he began an attack on the score of religion-denouncing all heretics, and telling me that our troops had profaned their cathedral; but that the Junta had placed four sol diers at the door, to prevent any more English from en tering. I now recollected, that on passing close to some armed Spaniards near a church, one of the fellows had touched me rather rudely with the end of his bayonet, which I, at the time, thought merely accidental, and pushed on. The real cause now flashed on my mind, and praying God to forgive me for the folly of all my former unreasonable expectations in the cause of this fanatic race, I turned my back on the old man, and quitted his house.

Ì was more successful on my next application, being

received into the house of a tradesman, where I found a fire to dry my damp clothes. At Lugo I was detained till the evening of the 8th. During this interval, Sir John Moore arrived with the reserve, and the French cavalry and light troops followed close upon their heels.

I have not been able to learn any accurate particulars respecting the bridge and ravine near Constantine; but have heard that the explosion was not strong enough to effect what was intended. Be that as it may, no affair took place there. Slight skirmishing, indeed, has happened every day since we left Astorga, but nothing more. It is reported that our stragglers and rear-guard have been guilty of great irregularities, and that Sir John Moore has caused a private hussar to be shot at Villa Franca, on He was, they say, one of a party of four who were accused of marauding, and the crime having been proved, they drew lots for one to die, in expiation of the offence.

On the evening of the 7th, Lieutenant-General Fraser's division, which had been recalled from Sobrado, on the Vigo road, returned to Lugo, and joined the main body, which had taken up a position about four miles in front of the town, on a line of small hills, with the river Tombago, which passes by Lugo, and is not fordable, covering their right flank.

THE CITY OF LUGO,

With the position of the British Army, on the 8th of January.

Published June 15. 1809, by Richard Phillips, Bridge Street, Blackfriars. London.

Some skirmishing having taken place on the 6th and 7th,* Sir John Moore drew out the whole army on the morning of the 8th, with the intention of giving battle, which at this time appeared to be unavoidable; the prisoners taken on the 7th having declared that Marshal Soult had arrived, with strong reinforcements. Every officer and man seemed happy at the idea of bringing the matter to a speedy issue. I rode out myself to a hill to the left of the town, whence I had an opportunity of seeing the position of the hostile army; and enclosed you will find a 'rough sketch of the country. The distant smoke marks the two lines.

However, after having waited till the afternoon, and the Marshal still declining the combat, preparations were made for withdrawing. After sun-set, large f res were accordingly kindled to deceive the enemy, who, it appears, did not discover this ruse de guerre before morning.

As I quitted Lugo, I took a last look at its mouldering walls, which frowned over the glowing embers of our artillery-waggons. The inhabitants had all fled with whatever

*It appears by the report of some Medical Officers, lately returned from Spain, that the French lost a great number of men during these skirmishes. That of the British was very trifling indeed,

SS