the right was made by two divisions of the 2d corps, on that part of the Sierra occupied by the 3d division of infantry. One division of French infantry arrived at the top of the ridge, when it was attacked in the most gallant manner by the 88th regiment, under the command of the Honorable LieutenantColonel Wallace, and the 45th regiment, under the command of the Honorable Lieutenant-Colonel Meade, and by the 8th Portuguese regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas, directed by Major-General Ficton.

"These three corps advanced with the bayonet, and drove the enemy's division from the advantageous ground which they had obtained. The other division of the second corps attacked further on the right, by the road leading by St. Antonio de Cantaro, also in front of Major-General Picton's division. This division was repulsed before it could reach the top of the ridge by the 74th regiment, under the command of the Honorable Lieutenant-Colonel Trench, and the brigade of Portuguese infantry, under the command of Colonel Champlemonde directed by Colonel Mackinnon. Major-General Leith also moved to his left, to the support of Major-General Picton, and aided in the defeat of the enemy on this post, by the Sd battalion Royals, and the first battalion, and the 2d battalion of the 38th regi

ment.

"In these attacks Major-Generals Leith and Picton, Colonels Mackinnon, and Champlemonde of the Portuguese service, who was wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace, the Honorable Lieutenant-Colonel Meade, Lieutenant-Colon Sutton of the 9th Portuguese regiment, Major Smith of the 45th regiment, who was unfortunately killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas, and Major Birmingham, of the 8th regiment, distinguished themselves. Major-General Picton reports of the 9th and 21st Portuguese regiments, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sutton, and Lieutenant-Colonel de Aronje Bacellar, and of the Portuguese artillery, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Arentschild. I have also to mention, in a particular manner, the conduct of Captain Dancy, of the 88th regiment. Major-General Leith reports the good conduct of the Royals, 1st battalion 9th, and 2d battalion S8th regiment; and I beg to assure your Lord

ship, that I never witnessed a more gallant attack than that made by the 38th and 45th, and 8th Portuguese regiments, on the enemy's division which had reached the ridge of the Sierra. On the left the enemy attacked with three divisions of infantry of the 6th corps, that part of the Sierra occupied by the left division, commanded by Brigadier-General Craufurd, and by the brigade of Portuguese infantry commanded by BrigadierGeneral Pack. One division of infantry only made any progress towards the top of the hill, and they were immediately charged with the bayonet by Brigadier-General Craufurd with the 48th, 52d, and 95th regiments, and the 3d Portuguese caçadores, and driven down with immense loss.-Brigadier-General Coleman's brigade of Portuguese infantry, which was in reserve, was moved up to support the right of Brigadier-General Craufurd's division, and a battalion of the 19th Portuguese regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Macbean, made a gallant and successful charge upon a body of another division of the enemy, which was endeavouring to penetrate in that quarter. In this attack Brigadier-General Craufurd, Lieutenant-Colonels Beckwith of the 95th, and Barclay of the 52d, and the commanding officers of the regiments engaged, distinguished themselves.

"Besides these attacks, the light troops of the two armies were engaged throughout the 27th; and the 4th Portuguese caçadorés, and the 1st and 16th regiments, directed by Brigadier-General Pack, and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel de Rego Bonito, Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, and Major Armstrong, showed great steadiness and gallantry. The loss sustained by the enemy in his attack on the 27th has been enormous. I understand that the General of división Merle, and General Maucum, are wounded, and General Simon was taken prisoner by the 52d regiment, and three colonels, 33 officers, and 250 men.

"The enemy left 2000 killed upon the field of battle, and I understand from the prisoners and deserters, that the loss in wounded is immense. The enemy did not renew his attack, excepting by the fire of his light troops on the 28th, but he moved a large body of infantry and cavalry from the left of his centre to his rear, from whence I saw his cavalry in march on the road

which leads from Mortagoa over the mountains towards Oporto. Having thought it probable that he would endeavour to turn our left by that road, I had directed Colonel Trant, with his division of militia, to march to Sardao, with the intention that he would occupy those mountains, but, unfortunately, he was sent round by Oporto, by the General Officer commanding in the north, in consequence of a small detachment of the enemy being in possession of St. Pedro de Sul; and, notwithstanding the efforts which he made to arrive in time, he did not reach Sardao till the 28th, at night, after the enemy was in possession of the ground.

"As it was probable that in the course of the night of the 28th the enemy would throw his whole army upon that road, by which he could avoid the Sierra Busaco, and reach Coimbra by the high road to Oporto, and thus the army would have been exposed to be cut off from that town, or to a general action on less favorable ground; and as I had reinforcements in my rear, I was induced to withdraw from the Sierra de Busaco. The enemy did break upon the mountains at eleven at night of the 28th, and he made the march expected. His advanced guard was at Avelans, in the road from Oporto to Coimbra yesterday; and the whole army was seen in march through the mountains; that under my command, however, was already in the low country, between the Sierra de Busaco and the sea; and the whole of it, with the exception of the advanced guard, is this day on the left of the Mondego. Although, from the unfortunate circumstance of the delay of Colonel Trant's arrival at Sardao, I am apprehensive that I shall not succeed in effecting the object I had in view in passing the Mondego, and in occupying the Sierra de Busaco, I do not regret my having done so. This movement has afforded me a favourable opportunity of showing the enemy the description of troops of which this army is composed; it has brought the Portuguese levies into action with the enemy for the first time, in an advantageous situation: and they have proved that the trouble which has been taken with them has not been thrown away, and that they are worthy of contending in the same ranks with British troops, in this interesting cause, which they afford the best hopes of saving.

pre

"Throughout the contest upon the Sierra, and in all the vious marches, and in those which we have since made, the whole army have conducted themselves in the most regular manner. Accordingly, all the operations have been carried on with ease, the soldiers have suffered no privations, have undergone no unnecessary fatigue, there has been no loss of stores, and the army is in the highest spirits. I have received, throughout the service, the greatest assistance from the General and Staff Officers. Lieutenant-General Sir Brent Spencer has given me the assistance which his experience enables him to afford me; and I am particularly indebted to the Adjutant and Quarter-Master General, and officers of their departments, and to Lieutenant-Colonel Bathurst, and the officers of my personak staff; to Brigadier General Howorth, and the artillery, aud particularly to Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, Captain' Chapman, and the officers of the Royal Engineers. I must likewise mention Mr. Kennedy and the officers of the Commissariat, which department has been carried on most successfully.

I

"I should not do justice to the service, or to my own feelings, if I did not take this opportunity of drawing your Lordship's attention to the merits of Marshal Beresford. To him exclusively, under the Portuguese government, is due the merit of having raised, formed, disciplined, and equipped, the Portuguese army, which has now shown itself capable of engaging and defeating the enemy. I have besides received from him,'upon all occasions, all the assistance which his experience and abilities, and, knowledge of this country, have qualified him to afford me. The enemy have made no movement in Estrema dura, or in the northern provinces, since I addressed your Lordship last. My last accounts from Cadiz are of the 9th instant. I inclose a return of the killed and wounded of the allied armies in the course of the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th instant. I send this dispatch by my aid-de-camp, Captain Burgh, to whom I beg to refer your Lordship for any further details, and to recommend him to your Lordship's notice.

"I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

To the Earl of Liverpool."

"WELLINGTON??

BATTLE OF FUENTES D'ONOR.

"My Lord,

"Villa Formosa, 8th May, 1811.

The enemy's whole army, consisting of the 2d, 6th, and 8th corps, and all the cavalry which could be collected in Castile and Leon, including about nine hundred of the imperial guard, crossed the Agueda at Ciudad Rodrigo on the 2d instant. The battalions of the 9th corps had been joined to the regiments to which they belonged in the other three corps, excepting a division consisting of battalions belonging to regiments in the corps doing duty in Andalusia; which division likewise formed part of the army. As my object in maintaining a position between the Coa and the Agueda, after the enemy had retired from the former, was to blockade Almeida, which place, I had learnt from intercepted letters and other information, was ill supplied with provisions for its garrison, and as the enemy were infinitely superior to us in cavalry, I did not give any opposition to their march, and they passed the Azavo on that evening in the neighbourhood of Espeja, Carpio, and Gallegos. They continued their march on the 3d in the morning towards the Duas Casas, in three columns, two of them consisting of the 2d and 8th corps, to the neighbourhood of Almeida and Fort Conception, and the 3d, consisting of the whole of the cavalry and the 6th, and that part of the 9th corps which had not already been drafted into the other three. The allied army had been cantoned along the river Duas Casas, and on the sources of the Azavo, the light division at Gallegos and Espeja. This last fell back upon Fuentes D'Onor, on the Duas Casas, with the British cavalry, in proportion as the enemy advanced, and the 1st, 3d, and 7th divisions were collected at that place; and the 6th division, under Major-General Campbell, observed the bridge at Alameda; and Major-General Sir William Erskine, with the 5th division, the passages of the Duas Casas, at Fort Conception, and Aldea d'Obispo. Brigadier-General Pack's brigade, with the queen's regiment from the 6th division, kept the blockade of Almeida, and I had prevailed upon Don Julian Sanchez to occupy Nave d'Aver with his corps of Spanish cavalry and infantry. The light division were moved in the