274 
son being better qualified to give your Lwa- 
ship inférmation. ) 
~~ "'f have the honéut to be, &c. 
i Harry Burk kD, Litut.-Gen. 
To the Right Hon, Lord Castlereagh, Be. Gc. 
Vitiiera, Aug. 21, 1808. 
> Siry-=I have the honour to report to you 
that the enemy attacked our position at Vi- 
mieéra this morning. 
The village of Vimiera stands in a valley, 
through which runs the river Meceira; at the 
back, afd to the Westward and northward of 
this villagetis a mountain, the western point of 
which touches the sea, and the eastern js se- 
patated by a deep ravine from the heights, 
over which passes the road which leads from 
Lowrinha and the northward to Vimiera. The 
greater part of the infantry, the 1st, 2d, 3d, 
4th, 5th, ahd 8th brigades, were posted on 
this mountain, with eight pieces of artillery ; 
Major-General Hill’s brigade being on the 
right, Major-General Ferguson’s on the left, 
having one battalion on the heights, sepa- 
ratéd from the mountain. On the “eattern 
and suuthern side of the town isa hill, which 
ig ‘éntirely commanded, particularly: on its 
right, by the mountain to the westward of 
ié town, and commanding all the ground in 
the neighbourhdod tu thé southward and east- 
ward, on which‘Britadier-Oéneral Fane was 
posted with his tifémén, and the 50th regi- 
ment, and Brigadier-General Anstruther with 
his brigade, with dialf a brigade of 6-pounders, 
aud half a brigade*of 9-pounders, whith had 
been ‘Ordered t6 the position in the course of 
Tast night. The grdund*over which passes 
the foad from Lourintia, commanded the left 
of this lieight, and Zt Kad not been occupied, 
éxcepting by 4 piquet, as the camp had been 
faken up ‘only for one night; and there 
Was no water in the neighbourhood of this 
height. 
The ‘cavalry ‘and the teserve of artillery 
were in the vallty, between the “hills on 
‘which’ the infantry stood ; hoth flatiking and 
suppoiting Brigadier-General Fane’s advanced 
guard, 
* The enemy first appeared at eight o'clock 
in the morning, in large bodies of cavalry on 
Wur left, upon the heights on the road to 
Lourinha ; and it was soon obvious that the 
‘attack would be mailé upon ‘our ‘advanced 
guard, and the left of our position; and Ma- 
jor-General Vergusun’s brigade was immedi- 
ately moved across the ravine to the heights, 
‘on thé road to Lourinha, with three pieces of 
Sannon; ‘he was followed successively by Bri- 
Peditr-General Nightingale with his brigade, 
‘and three pieces of cannon ; Brigadier-General 
Ackland with his brigade; and Brigadier- 
‘General Bowes with ‘his ‘brigade. ‘These 
“troops were formed {Major-General Fergu- 
*son’s brigade in the first line; Brigadier-Ge- 
neral Nightingale’s in the second; and Briga- 
‘dier-General Bowes’s and Ackland’s, in co- 
“‘Jumns, in the ‘rear) on those heights, with 
"Wisir-cight upon the valley which* leads into 
Victory of Vimiera. 
108.3; 
Vimiera, and their left upon the other ravine; 
which sepatates these heights from the range, 
which terminates at the landing place at Mar- 
ceira. On these last-mentioned Ratghee ie Pot 
tuguese troops, whiclr had been in the bottom 
near Vimiera, were posted in the first instance, 
and they were supported by Brigadier-General 
Craufurd’s brigade. ; i 
The troops of the advanced guard on the 
height to the southward and eastward of the 
town were deemed sufficient for its defence, 
and Major-General Hill was nioved to the 
centre of the mountain, on which the great 
body of the infantry had been posted, as a 
support to these troops, and as a resetve to the 
whole army. In addition to this Support, 
these troops had that ‘of the cavalry in the 
rear of their right. 
The enemy’s attack began in several co: 
lumns, upon the whole of the troops on this 
height; on the left they advanced, notwiths 
standing the fire of the riflemen, close to the 
50th regiment, and were checked and driven 
back only by the bayonets of that corps. The 
2d battalion, 43d regiment, was likewise 
closely engaged with them in the road which 
leads into Vimiera; a part of that corps hav- 
ing been ordered into the church-yard, to 
prevent them from penetrating into the town. 
On the right of the position they were re- 
pulsed by the bayonets of the 97th regiment, 
which corps was successfully supported'by the 
2d battalion 52d regiment, which, by an ad- 
vance in column, took the enemy tn flank. 
Besides this opposition given te the ‘attack 
‘of the enemy on our advanced guard by their 
own exertions, they were attacked in flank by 
Brigadier-General Ackland’s brigade, in its 
advance to its position on the heights on the 
left, and a cannonade was kept up on thé 
flank of the enemy’s columas by tlie artillery 
on those heights. 
Atlength, after a most desperate contest, 
the enemy was driven back in:confusion from 
this attack, with the loss of seven pieces of 
cannon, many prisoners, and a great number 
of officers and soldiers ‘killed and Wounded. 
‘He was pursued by the detachment of the 20th 
light dragbons, ‘bat the enemy’s cavalry were 
so much superior in numbers, that ‘this de- 
‘tachment has suffered much, and Lieutenant- 
Colonel Taylor was unfortunately killed. 
Nearly at the same time, the enemy's at- 
tack commenced upon the heights on the road 
to Lourinha, This attack was supported by a 
large hody of cavalry, and was made with the 
usual impetuosity of the French troops.’ It 
was received with steadiness by Major-General 
Ferguson’s brigade, consisting of the S6th, 
40th, and 71st, regiments ; and these corps 
charged as soon as the enemy approached 
them, who gave way, and they continued to 
advance upon him, supported by the 82d, one 
‘of the corps of Brigadier-General Nightingale’s 
brigade, which, as the ground extended, af- 
terwards formed a part of the first line; by 
the 29th regiment, ‘and by Brigadier-General 
Bowes’s, 
