®, 
al 
1808.7" 
enemy, particularly that, which was attacked 
by the 29th and 9th regiments. These regi- 
ments attacked with the greatest impetuo- 
sity, and reached the enemy before those 
whose attacks were to be made on their flanks; 
the defence of the enemy was desperate, and 
it was in this attack principally that we sus- 
tained the loss which we have to lament,’ 
particularly of that gallant officer the Hon. 
Lieutenant-Colonel Lake, who distinguished 
himself upon this occasion, 
The enemy was, however, driven from all 
the positions he had taken in the passes of 
the mountains, and our troops were advanced 
in the plains on the tops. For a considerable 
length of time the 29th and 9th regiments 
alone were advanced to this point, with Bri- 
gadier-General Fane’s riflemen at a distance 
on the left, and they were afterwards sup- | 
ported by the 5th regiment, and by the light 
companies of Major-General Hill’s brigade, 
which had come up on their right; and by 
the other troops ordered to ascend the moun- 
tains, who came up by degrees. The enemy 
here made three most gallant attacks-upoa 
the 29th and 9th regiments, supported, as I 
have above stated, with a view to cover the 
retreat of his defeated army, in all of which he 
was, however, repulsed; but he succeeded in 
effecting his retreat in good order, owing, prin- 
cipally, to my. want of. cavalry 3 and, se- 
condly, ‘to the difficulty of bringing up to the 
Passes of the mountains with celerity, asuf- 
ficient number of troops, and of cannon, to 
Support those which had first ascended. The 
loss of the enemy has, however, been very 
great 5 and he lett three pieces of cannon in 
our hands. 
I cannot sufficiently applaud the conduct 
nf the troops througiiout this action. The 
f€nemy’s positions were formidable, and he 
took them up with his usual ability and cele- 
Tity, anddefended them most gallantly. But 
I must observe, that although we had sucha 
Superiority of numbers employed in the ope- 
rations of this day, the troops actually en- 
gaged in the heat of the action were, from 
wnavoidable circumstances, only the 5th, 
Mth, 29th, the riflemen of the 95th and 60th, 
and the flank companies of Major-General 
-Hill’s brigade, being a number by no means 
equal to that of the enemy ; their conduct, 
therefore, deserves the highest commenda- 
tion, 
I cannot avoid to take this opportunity 
of expressing my acknowledgments for the 
aid and supporc I received from all the ge- 
nerals and other officers of this army. Iam 
particularly indebted to Major - General 
Spenser tor the advice and assistance 1 re- 
ceived from him3;—to Major-G-neral Fergu- 
son, tor.the manner in which he Jed the left 
olumn; and to Major-General Hill, and 
Brigadier-Generals Nightingale and Fane, for 
the manner in which they conducted the dif- 
ferent attacks which they led. J derived 
_ Monrury Mag., No, 176, 
Viciory:of Vimiera, 
272 
most material assistance also from Lieutenant~ 
Colonel Tucker and Lieutenant-Colonel. 
Bathurst, in the offices, of Deputy-Adjutant 
and Deputy-Quarter-Master General, and 
from the officers of the staff employed:under 
them. I must also mention, that I had every 
reason to be satisfied with the artillery under 
Lieutenant-Colonel Robe. ; 
Ihave the konour to inclose herewith a re~, 
turn of killed, wounded, and miissing. 
Iam, &c, 
(Signed) Antuur WELLESLEY. 
Return of killed and wounded. 
Officers, non-commissioned officers, rank and 
file, and horses killed, wounded, and 
missing, 482. 
Head-quarters at Lourinbay 
Aug. 18, 1808. 
My Lord,—Since I wrote to you last night, 
I have heard from Brigadier General An- 
struther, that he is on the coast of Piniche, 
with the fleet of victuallers and store-ships, 
in charge of Captain Bligh, of the Alfred,’ 
with a part of the force detached from Ene-, 
land under Brigadier-General Ackland, jin 
consequence of the receipt of orders which. 
I had left at Mondego Bay for General Ack-, 
land, which he had opened. I have ordered, 
Brigadier-General Anstruther, to land imms— 
diately, and 1 haye moyed.to. this place, in, 
order to protect hislandings :and facilitate his, 
junction. iss) 14ibe al : 
General Loisop joined General Laborde in 
the course, of last nighty,at,.Torres Vedras ; 
and I understand that both,began their march 
towards Lisbon this morning; 1 also hear 
that General Junot has arrived this day at 
Torres Vedras, with a small corps from Lis- 
bon ;' and I conclude that the whole of the 
French army will be assembled between Torres 
Vedras and the capital, in the course of a 
few days. 
I have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) ArtuHur WELLESrEY. 
To the Right Hon. Lord Castlereagh, &c. &c. 
Head-quarters, Maceira, Aug. 21, 
My Lord,—The report which I have the 
honour to inclose to your Lordship, made at 
my request by Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur 
Wellesley, conveys information which can- 
not but prove highly gratifying to his Majesty. 
On my landing this morning, I found that 
the enemy’s attack had already commenced, 
and I was fortuate enough to reach the field 
of action in time to witness and approve of 
every disposition that had been, and was afs 
terwards made by Sir Arthur, Wellesley, his 
comprehensive mind furnishing a ready )re- 
source in ewery emergency,.and rendering it 
quite unnecessary to direct any alterations. 
I am happy, on this occasion, to bear testi 
mony to the great spirit and good conduct dis- 
played by all the troops composinz this gallant 
army in this well-contested action } 
I send this dispatch by Captain Camphell, 
aid-du-camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley, no per- 
Na Som 
