Extracts from Letters to Sisters.
Elvas, March 6, 1812.
I avail myself of the departure of an extra courier for Lisbon to thank you for your letter.... We arrived here about an hour ago, all quite well, and think we shall remain for some time, or till the siege of Badajos is over. We came by Villa Viçosa and visited the Palace of the P. R. which is without doors or windows, which the soldiers of all parties have gradually burnt. It is a pity, as in one room there are really some fine pictures, painted on the ceiling, of the Dukes of Braganza, which will be quite spoiled. The Park is very handsome in their way. We should call it rather a forest, and there are a great many deer, which looked very pretty, but the wild boars, being of a more contemplative, solitary turn, kept themselves concealed, for which want of respect one is ordered to be shot for our table. He had better have made his appearance at once, and had the honor of being shot by a Marshal or A.D.C. The weather is very fine and dry, but rather too warm. We have been since the 2nd coming, and had a tolerably pleasant journey, being received everywhere with the greatest Honors, bells ringing, Guards of Honor, illuminations, etc., and never exceeding 5 leagues a day, except the first, so that we were never fatigued, or our horses, and had plenty of time to look about us, and make our observations, and, being with the Marshal, we are at least sure of always having plenty to eat. If I could be in good spirits, I should have perhaps enjoyed this mode of travelling through a country in state very much. As it is, it was rather a bore, and I am glad we are likely to be quiet for a short time anywhere, though a large fortified city full of troops is not exactly the place I should have chosen. The beautiful Quinta we had here last year is pulled down, house and all, when the suburbs were destroyed for being too near the body of the place, which is now very much improved and strengthened by some very fine new works in front of the town, and which makes it highly respectable, but I could not look at the remains of our beautiful shady walks and fountains without great regret.
Ld. Wn. will not, I believe, arrive for a day or two. The Army are on their march, but will not arrive to assemble on this frontier till the 10th or 12th, when I suppose poor old Badajos will be serenaded again. If we succeed as well as we did at Ciudad Rodrigo, we shall do well enough, but a protracted siege is to me the most tiresome thing in the world, and two have quite satisfied my curiosity as far as that goes.
John Campbell is here, very well, but quite disfigured by having his face all covered with his mustachios and whiskers. He is full Colonel in the P. service, and desires to be most kindly remembered to you all. He is a very excellent fellow. I wrote yesterday a very hasty scrawl, and thought I should not have any time to write any more as the courier went off, but to-day Mr Stuart the Envoy, who is here, is sending off one express, and I will therefore not omit to tell you I am in health quite well.
I have just got a note from young Cowell of the Guards, who wants me to obtain leave for him to shoot deer, etc., in the Prince’s Park at Villa Viçosa, a pretty modest request, which I am sorry I cannot comply with, as I cannot obtain leave even for myself.
The style and writing of my letter will shew you the bustle and hurry I am writing in. Every Officer in the Garrison, and all the Authorities, Civil and Military, have been here to be presented and make their bows, I suppose some hundreds, which, added to a long ride in a hot day, has condensed my powers of composition and made me stupider than usual.