SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, 
These countries appear to be over- 
run with detachments of the French az- 
mies, but with little permanent’ effect ; 
as. they are equally covered by ae 
bodies of the Spaniards and Portuguese. 
Of course it is a murderous contest, and 
wast numbers are assassinated or put to 
death on each side. Cadiz, Gibraltar, 
Lisbon, Oporto, and Corunna, are the 
only places in the Peninsula accessible 
tothe English. 
The following are the last dispatches, 
addressed to the Earl of Liverpool, from 
General Lord Wellington, who had then 
retreated within fifteen miles of Lisbon: 
Pero Negro, 20th Oct. 1810. 
My Lorv.—Since I addressed you, the 
enemy have been employed principally in 
reconnoitring the positions occupied by our 
troops, and in strengthening their own. In 
effecting the former object they have skir- 
wished with the troops on our’ out-posts» 
who have always conducted themselves well. 
On the 14th, they attacked with infantry, 
supported by artillery, a small detachment 
of the 7ist regiment, which formed the 
advanced guard of Lieutenant-general Sir 
Brent Spencer’s division, near Sobral de 
Montagaree, in order to cover one of their 
reconnoitring parties. This detachment hav- 
ing the Hon. Lieutenant-coionel Cadogan 
and Lieatenant-colonel Reynell at their 
head, charged the enemy in a most gallant 
style, and drove them into the town. 
The whole of the 8th Corps d’Armée, 
however, and part of the 6th, arrived on the 
ground near Sobral on that evening; and I 
therefore thought it proper to Watlidcaw 
‘Licutenant-general Sir Brent Spencer’s divi- 
sion from the advanced situation which it 
had occupied, and these troops marched to 
Zibreira, about one mile in the rear, on the 
15th in the morning. 
The gun-boats on the Tagus, under Lieu- 
tenant Berkeley, with which Admiral Berke- 
Jey has supported the right of the army 
near Albandra, have likewise been engaged 
with the enemy’s reconnoitring parties, and 
have been of great service to us, 
I have the pleasure to inform your ae. 
ship, that the report which I communicated 
to you in my last dispatch, regarding the 
march of the detachment of troops uncer the 
command of General Barcellar, has been 
confirmed. 
Colonel Trant arrived near Coimbra on 
the 7th, and immediately attacked the ene- 
pay’s out-posts, which he cut off from the 
town, and he then pushed into it and took 
possesion of it. The resistance mace by the 
enemy did not last long, and he took eighty 
afficers and five thousand men (principally 
gick aad wounded), prisoners. 
ie of Public Affairs in November. 
457 
On the following day Brigadier- general 
Miller and Colonel Wilson arrived at Cow 
imbra with their detachments, and they have 
since taken about three hundred and fifty 
prisoners, being soldiers who had stragzled 
from their regiments, on the enemy’s march, 
as they says+in search of food. 
Colonel Wilson has since advanced to 
Codeixa, with an advanced guard of infantry 
and cavalry, and Brigadier-general Miller is 
at Coimbra. 
A detachment from the garrison of Penio 
ché, sent out by Brigadier-general Blunt, 
under Captain Fenwick, has been successful 
in a similar manner, and has bronght ia 
forty eight prisoners made in the rear of the 
enemy’s army, having killed nine; and 
Lieutenant-colone} Waters, who has been 
employed by me with small detachments of 
cavalry and infantry, also in the enemy's 
rear, has taken ma any prisoners. 
The difficulties which the enemy ie 
ence in procuring subsistence, owins to 
their having invaded this country without 
magazines, and having adopted no measures 
for the security of their rear, or of their 
communication with Spain, has rendered it 
Berg) for the soldiers to strayele in search 
of food; and not a day passes that ¢ prisoners 
and deserters are not sent in. 
All remained quiet in the north of Portu- 
gal, according to the last accounts. Marshad 
Mortier retired from Zafra and Los Santo 
on the 8th; and, according ta the last’ ac. 
counts, he had arrived at Seville with the 
troops under his command. General Ballas- 
teros had followed him to the neighbuurhood 
of Castillo de las Guardias, and the Portus 
guese and Spanish cavalry hid moved ea- 
from the Guadiana towards the Sierra Mo- 
rena, i 
In the meantime, the infantry of the 
Marquis de la Romana’s corps was put im 
motion for this quarter on the 8th i instant, 
and the head “of it (the division under. 
Meche 
command of General O'Donnel iy arrived at 
Cabeca de Montechique yester: day, oe 
crossed the Tagus in the morning. 
Wentine ton. 
Pero Nesyo, 27th Oct. 1840. 
My Lorp.—The enemy still-occupy the 
same positions 1n front of this ariny, whith 
they held when [ addressed you on the 20th 
instant. They have detached some troops 
towards Santarem, and on the 23d, General 
Loison marched towards that place with the 
division under his command ; and it appears, 
from accounts from the commanding officer 
at Abrantes, of the 24th, thata body of the 
enemy’s infantry and cavalry entered Thoe. 
mar on that day. 
The reports which I have recejved from 
the prisoners and deserters which have been 
brought in, concur in the accounts of the, 
distress 
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