204 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



the weather, were disposed in an 

 extensive line of cantonments in 

 front of the allied army. Head 

 quarters were at Alentqueer. 

 Where the villages were at a dis- 

 tance from each other, the chain 

 was completed by temporary huts 

 erected for the soldiers. This line, 

 which comprehended the strong 

 position of Montejunto, extended 

 in an oblique direction from the 

 sea to the Tagus ; and the whole 

 of his forces were posted in such 

 a manner that they could be as- 

 sembled in the space of four hours. 

 The central corps was stationed at 

 Sobral ; the right at Otta and 

 Villa Nova, and the left at Villa 

 Franca. A division of dragoons 

 occupied Alventre, for covering 

 his right flank from the attacks of a 

 division of British cavalry stationed 

 at Sissandro. But from the posi- 

 tion at Villa Franca they were 

 driven by the flotilla of gun-boats, 

 with a brigade of seamen and 

 another of marines, each 500 

 Strong, under the command of lieu- 

 tenant Berkley. Admiral Williams 

 was ordered to proceedupthe river 

 with all the boats and pontoons, to 

 superintend the passage of our 

 army across the Tagus, if that 

 should be found expedient. He 

 was provided with flying bridges, 

 and every thing necessary for the 

 purpose. 



Massena, having reconnoitred 

 the positions of the allies, confined 

 his operations to the fortification 

 of his own, the taking of Monte- 

 junto, and the collection of cattle, 

 grain, and raisins for the subsist- 

 ence of his army. None df his 

 movements, or changes of positions 

 or detachments, had any other 

 than this last object. This work 



alone wassufficienllyarduous. His 

 quarters, which were limited, on 

 one side by the Tagus, were strait- 

 ened more and more on the north- 

 west by the Portuguese militia. 

 General Silviera occupied with his 

 detachment the roads from Al- 

 meida to Francoso, Celerico, and 

 Guarda. Colonel Trent, throw- 

 ing himself into the rear of Mas- 

 sena, entered Coimbra on the 7th 

 of October, and made 5000 pri- 

 soners, chiefly sick, and the 

 wounded in the battle of Buzaco. 

 On the day following, brigadier- 

 general Wilson arrived therewith 

 his detachment. They had taken 

 about 350 waggon drivers that 

 had been left behind the French 

 army at Coimbra for collecting 

 provisions. General Wilson, with 

 a detachment of infantry and 

 cavalry, proceeded southward 

 by Condeixa, and occupied 

 the road between Coimbra and 

 Leyria. The Portuguese garri- 

 sons of Penniche and Obidos, 

 and the British cavalry, carried on 

 an incessant and destructive war- 

 fare on the rear and the right of 

 the French. The detachments sent 

 out to hunt about for provisions, 

 were so closely watched by the 

 Portuguese militia and the British 

 cavalry on the side of Obidos and 

 Ramalhal, that Massena could not 

 be said to be in possession of any 

 other territory in the whole country 

 than that on which his array was 

 posted.* Not less than 6000 men 

 were constantly employed in con- 

 ductmg, not waggons, but small 

 carts, carrying ammunition, pro- 

 visions, and officers' baggage to the 

 French. At first they found wheat 

 and millet : the wheat they sepa- 

 ratedfrotn the husk andboiled; the 



Lord Wellington to Don Miguel Pereira, Pero-Negro, Oct, 27» 1810. 



