ENGINEERS.
There were a few officers of the old army, who were engaged in raising new companies of sappers, which were not yet ready when Beresford’s report was drawn up. No figures are there given.
It would appear then that the total Regular force of Portugal in 1809 amounted to about 33,000 foot, 6,300 horse, and 5,000 artillery.
MILITIA.
The Portuguese Militia was raised by conscription, on a local basis, the kingdom being divided into forty-eight regions, each of which was to supply a regiment. These districts were combined into three divisions, called the North, South, and Centre, each of which gave sixteen regiments. The unit was a two-battalion corps, with nominally 1,500 men in twelve companies: this number was in practice seldom reached. It was usual to keep the battalions under arms alternately, for periods of two, three, or six months: it was seldom that the whole regiment was embodied at once. In 1809 the whole force was but in process of organization, many corps had not even been officered or armed, and the majority had not commenced to raise their second battalion. The local distribution was as follows:—
| 1st Division: ‘The South.’ Comprising Algarve, Alemtejo, and Beira Alta. |
| Regiments of Lagos, Tavira, Beja, Evora, Villaviciosa, Portalegre, Castello Branco, Idanha, Vizeu, Guarda, Trancoso, Arouca, Tondella, Arganil, Covilhão, Lamego. |
| 2nd Division: ‘The Centre.’ Comprising Estremadura and Beira Baixa. |
| Four Lisbon regiments, and one each from Torres Vedras, Santarem, Thomar, Leyria, Soure, Lousão, Alcazar do Sul, Setubal, Coimbra, Figueira, Aveiro, and Oliveira de Azemis. |
| 3rd Division: ‘The North.’ Comprising Tras-os-Montes and Entre-Douro-e-Minho. |
| Regiments of Oporto, Villa de Conde, Braga, Viana, Barcelos, Guimaraens, Penafiel, Arcos, Feira, Barca, Baltar, Mayo, Chaves, Villa Real, Miranda and Braganza. |
VI
PAPERS RELATING TO THE INTRIGUES AT OPORTO, APRIL-MAY 1809