Viscount Wellington now became occupied with the defence of Portugal. The French armies in Spain had been reinforced during the winter of 1809-10 with troops from Germany, peace having been concluded between France and Austria; and in April, 1810, the Emperor Napoleon espoused the Archduchess Maria Louisa, daughter of the Emperor of Austria.
Spain having been reduced to French domination, Napoleon resolved to subjugate Portugal, and Marshal Massena, Prince of Essling, assumed the command of the “Army of Portugal” in May. Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida were captured by the French, who were, however, gallantly repulsed at the Sierra de Busaco on the 27th of September, 1810, after which Viscount Wellington occupied the strong position of Torres Vedras, about thirty miles from Lisbon.
This was the state of affairs in the Peninsula when the NINETY-SECOND arrived in the Tagus. On the 8th of October, the battalion landed, and the necessary camp equipage, on taking the field, was immediately issued.
1811
The NINETY-SECOND, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel John Cameron, marched from Lisbon to join the army under Viscount Wellington, then in the fortified lines of Torres Vedras, and arrived at Cruzandera on the 15th of October, where the battalion remained until the 15th of November. At this period it was attached to the first division of the army, and was brigaded with the fiftieth and seventy-first regiments, under Major-General Howard.
Marshal Massena having abandoned his position in front of the British, and retired upon Santarem, the NINETY-SECOND advanced on the 15th of November, and occupied the village of Almostal on the 19th of November, moving on the 28th to Alcantrinha, the enemy occupying a strong position at Santarem, immediately in front of the British army.
At the commencement of the year 1811, Lisbon was the point on which the interests of the British nation in foreign affairs were concentrated, and the question whether Portugal should remain independent, or become subject to France, was to be decided by the two great armies posted near Lisbon, the one for attack, the other for defence.
The difficulty of supplying his troops with necessaries in a devastated country, and the impracticability of forcing the fortified lines of Viscount Wellington, at Torres Vedras, at length compelled Marshal Massena to consult the safety of his army by a seasonable retreat.
During the night of the 5th of March, the enemy broke up from his position near Santarem, and retreated in the direction of Almeida. Viscount Wellington immediately pursued Marshal Massena by Thomar, Pombal, Redinha, and Espinhal, at each of which places some sharp affairs took place, honorable to the British arms, as well as at Sabugal on the 3rd of April, immediately after which the French continued their retreat into Spain.
The first battalion of the NINETY-SECOND regiment entered Spain on the 9th of April, and was cantoned in Albergaria, where a detachment of one lieutenant and forty-four rank and file joined from the second battalion, then in Ireland. At this period, the sixth division of the British army invested Almeida, and a force of British and Portuguese under Marshal Beresford was employed in the Alemtejo and Spanish Estremadura, which compelled the enemy to abandon Campo Mayor. Olivenza was next besieged by Marshal Beresford, and retaken on the 15th of April, after which he broke ground before Badajoz.