MILITARY TOPOGRAPHY OF OPORTO. 445 



the bridge, and here all the horrid circumstances of war (says Colonel 

 Napier) and the calamities of an age, were compressed into one doleful 

 hour. 



More than 4000 people, of every age and sex, were seen rushing 

 forward in a frenzied tumult and confusion ; some already on the bridge, 

 others striving to gain it. The batteries on the Villa Nova side opened 

 their fire when the French appeared, and at the same moment a body of 

 Portuguese cavalry, flying from the fight, came rushing down one of 

 the streets, and dashed at full gallop into the midst of the flying crowd. 

 The bridge, unable to sustain the increasing weight, sunk, and the fore- 

 most of these unfortunate fugitives kept tumbling into the river, from 

 the pressure behind, until their heaped bodies, rising above the surface, 

 actually filled all the space left by the boats that had sunk. The French, 

 horror-stricken at the spectacle, forgot the rage of combat, and hastened 

 to save the survivors. The ill-fated city was now delivered up to an 

 infuriated soldiery, whom Soult in vain endeavoured to restrain. The 

 Portuguese, to this day, entertain a grateful sense of his conduct on that 

 occasion. The frightful scene of pillage, murder, and every other 

 enormity that war brings in its train, lasted for some hours. Upwards 

 of 10,000 Portuguese fell on that unhappy day. 



The surprise of this city, in the month of May following, by the 

 Duke of Wellington, was as bold an operation as any recorded in mili- 

 tary history. 



The British approached the city from the southward, and dragging up 

 some artillery to the Convent of the Serra, they pushed across the river 

 and seized the Seminario ; while another division crossed at Arentas, 

 and, after a smart action, remained masters of the city. 



The present line of defence is much more contracted than that occu- 

 pied by the Portuguese in 1809. It extends from the Semanario to the 

 Torre da Maria on the left. There are thus in position fifty pieces of 

 artillery, and some mortar batteries, besides a train of fifteen field pieces, 

 ready to move at a moment's notice. Barricades are erected at the head 

 of each street, defended by a trench externally, with a platform for a 

 gun on the inner side, and a breastwork for infantry. On the Villa 

 Nova side, works have been erected, and the Convent de Serra placed 

 in a posture of defence. Videttes on this side are thrown forward as 

 far as St. Osidio. Don Pedro's force consists of about 14,000 men, one 

 half of which are of the line ; but his defences would offer no material 

 obstacle to a regular attack. Miguel has about 16 or 18,000 men on 

 the north side of the Douro, and about 6000 on the south side. This 

 latter corps has some very heavy artillery. On the other hand, every 

 thing that could cover the advance of an enemy in front of Oporto has 

 been levelled, and the population disarmed. 



Vallonga, the scene of the affair of the 23d July, is a small villa, 

 about three leagues from Oporto. Amarante, the head-quarters of the 

 Miguelites, is a very strong position ; it is a small place, fortified in the 

 ancient manner, but possesses a double tete depont upon the Tamegan, a 

 small river that disembogues itself into the Douro. General St. Martin, 

 unable to make any attempt by the Coimbra road, because he would 

 have been obliged to cross the Douro, and not being master of the sea, 

 he could make no demonstration on the west, seized Amarante, while 

 the reinforcements advancing from the capital would menace the city on 

 the south side. 



