3 sss State of Public Affairs in November. 
distress felt by the enemy for the want of 
provisions of all descriptions. 
They state, that they are collecting and 
preparing materials to construct a bridge ovér 
the Tagus;. but although we have a good 
view of that river from different parts of the 
ground occupied by the army, and have offi- 
cers and. others employed on the left of rhe 
Tagus, to observe the motions of the ene- 
my, I have not been abie to discover either 
where this work is carrying on, or where the 
bridge “is to be placed on the river, if it 
should be constructed. 
The-enemy appears to be very anxious to 
collect boats; and on the 24th, endeavoured 
to drive a party of the Ordenanza from Cha- 
musca, by the fire.of artillery, in order to 
obtain possession of some which were under 
that place. ars 
Colonel Wilson. had been at Leyria, with 
the cavalry attached to General Barcellar’s 
division, and had proceeded to Ourem. The 
advance of the infantry was at Pombal. 
On the side of Obidos and Ramalhal, the 
British cavalry and a battalion of Spanish 
hght infantry,.and the troops of the garrison 
of Peniché, confine the enemy’s detach- 
ments; and they really possess no part of 
the country, excepting that on which their 
army stands. 
By the last accounts from General Silveira 
of the 17th instant, it appears that all was 
quiet in the North; and he had not received 
any accounts of the march of troops in 
Castille. 
The parties of Guerillas had been more 
daring than usual; and they had united in 
the neighbourheod of Valladolid, early in 
the month of October, to the amount of 
‘ 
fifteen hundred, in order to carry off a convoy- 
of money which had been raised in contribu- 
ticns from the country, in which attempt, 
however, they failed. 
According to the accounts of the 2ist, 
from Estremadura, it appears%hat Marsha} 
Mortier’s corps was still-at Seville ; and Ge- 
neral Ballasteros was observing it from 
Ar2cena. ; ; 
The second division of the Marquis de la 
Romana’s corps, under General Carrera, ,ar- 
rived at Lisbon on the 25th, and will be 
with the army thisday. My last accounts 
from Cadiz are of the 4th instant. 
WELLINGTON, 
Pero Negro, 3d Nov, 1810. 
My Lozp.—I have not observed any al- 
teration in the énemy’s position or numbers 
since I adcressed you on the 27th uit. 
They have a considerable body of troops, 
principally cavalry, on the Tagus, between 
Punhete and Santarem, and I have reason to 
believe that Loison’s division of infantry 
Rad not marched in that direction, asf re- 
ported to your lordship they had-in my last 
sispatch; some of the corps composing thet 
[Dec. ty 
division, have certainly remained in the 
camps in front of this army, . 
The enemy have pushed some troops 
across the Zezere, above Punhete, principally 
cavairy, apparently to réconnoitre the roads 
in that direction and the fort at Abrantes 5 
but I conclude that the rains which have fallen 
within these few days will have swelled that 
river, and that these troops will have retired 
again. 
They are still.reported to be at work upor 
materials for a bridge both at Santarem and 
Barquinha; but I have detached Major-ge- 
neral Fane witha body of cavalry and infan-. 
try to the left of the Tagus, from: whom I 
hope to receive accurate accounts of what is 
passing opposite to him on this side; and he 
will endeavour to destroy these materials, if 
it should be practicable. fastciz: 
It is reported by all the deserters that the 
enemy’s troops continue to suffer great dis- 
tress from the want of provisions. 
It is impossible to form an estimate of the 
quantity of provisions which they found in the 
villages on the ground which they occupy 5 
but it is certain that they can draw none 
from any other part of the country, the 
whole being in the possession of our troops. 
The garrison of Peniché, and the garrison 
of Obidos, which place Captain Fenwick, of 
the Portuguese service, has lately occupied, 
under the direction of Brigadier-general 
Blunt, and the British cavalry, continue to 
carry on a destructive warfare in the rear of 
the enemy’s right, while the high road from 
Coimbra by Leyria is in the possession of 
Colonel Wilson’s detachment. . 
I have received no letter from General 
Silveira of a later date than the 19th of 
October. He had not, at that time, heard. 
of the march of any of the enemy’s troops 
in Castille. 
He occupied with ‘his detachment the 
roads from Almeida to Trancoso, Celericos 
and Guarda. He had heard that General 
Bonnet had evacuated the Asturias; and, it 
is supposed, had moved into Biscay. 
I have letters from Estremadura and 
Castromarin, of as late a date as the 27th 
of October, stating that Moertier’s corps was 
still at Seville in a very efficient states 
and having many sick. ne Pe Oa 
My last accounts from Cadiz are of the 
22d alt. . ' 
WELLINGTON. | 
ITALY. 
King Joachim having attempted the 
invasionyof Sicily, his forces were re- 
pulsed under the circumstances detailéd 
in the fullowing dispatch from the gallant 
Sir John Stuart. 
e Messina, Sept. 22, 1810. 
My Logp.«-Early on the morning of the 
itth 
