The enemy entered Fuentes de Oñoro.
15th
The Division assembled at its alarm post in consequence of the enemy being in motion near Villar de Ciérvos. I forgot to observe that yesterday we fell back upon the village of Junça, a little way from Almeida, and placed in a very rugged and rocky ground near the banks of the Coa. Almeida is the frontier fortification of Portugal, and is commanded by Colonel Cox, a British officer. The garrison consists of 3000 men, well appointed, and possessing every requisite to sustain a siege. In consequence of Ciudad Rodrigo having fallen, the enemy began to concentrate an immense force of every arm for the invasion of Portugal under the command of one of Napoleon's favourite Generals, Marshal Massena, Prince of Essling and Duke of Rivoli. Almeida now was the only impediment which could for a moment prevent the French army from bringing their whole force against the British, the latter consisting of not more than 25,000 men altogether. As these Gasconaders, under their different Generals, had carried their victorious arms through the greater part of the Continent, too frequently through intrigue and treachery, such vaunting soldiers had great contempt for us for presuming to enter the lists with them. Their Generals published bills, telling the Portuguese that they would not stop until they had driven the frightened Leopards at the point of the bayonet into the sea at Lisbon. This "nation of shopkeepers and general disturbers of all nations" should be made a most awful example of to deter others from opposing them!
20th
Our infantry piquets were upon the high road to Val de la Mula, upon a plain, the cavalry piquets upon the Duas Casas, and a few men with the Engineer officer left in Fort Concepçion, ready to blow it up at any moment when required.
21st
At daylight Fort Concepçion exploded and made a tremendous noise. I was lying under a tree in a sound sleep. I sprang up, thinking the French army had got into the camp, and seized my sword, which hung upon a bough of the tree, and proceeded to our alarm post. I found the same effect produced by the noise upon the whole of us, and the only feeling we had was to sell our lives at as dear a rate as possible. When the cause was known, and that the enemy had not driven in our outposts, we fell out and took our breakfast.
22nd
I was on outlying piquet. I fully expected to be attacked this morning, as several peasantry told us that large bodies of men were concentrating close to us, and all the villages were filled with what was now called the Army of Portugal, amounting at least to 100,000 men, many of whom had been in a number of Napoleon's great battles.
23rd