Meanwhile, during these weary months of waiting, the Portuguese army was growing in numbers and steadily improving in efficiency and discipline. The language used concerning it in the letters is full of confidence, and offers a contrast to the rather despondent tone of the references to it at the beginning of the previous year.
Major Warre, after a very busy time in August, seems to have been attacked by his old malady and to have been sent to Lisbon. He thus, much to his chagrin, missed Bussaco and the retreat to the lines of Torres Vedras. Early in October he had recovered sufficiently to rejoin the Marshal at his Headquarters within the lines. But the hard life and exposure resulted in a very serious relapse, which brought him to death’s door, and the Medical Board determined that he must be sent home. He arrived at Falmouth, after a bad voyage of ten days, early in November, and the last two letters of this year’s series, from Falmouth and Honiton respectively, indicate a very tedious journey and a precarious state of health.
LETTERS
Lisbon, Feb. 6, 1810.
My Dear Kind Mother,
I was made quite happy, on my arrival three days since at this place, by receiving your affectionate letter of 29th Decr. and 1st Jany. (I have also received yours of Dec. 12th)....
I own I think you very much more gloomy than necessary as to public affairs, and do not agree with you as to Ministers, as I approve much of many of their measures. Our misfortunes in Spain they neither could foresee or prevent. Who could imagine the Spaniards would betray those who went to their assistance? Cowards they are not—that is the soldier. He is capable of being equal to any in the world. But without Officers, or of course confidence, without discipline and betrayed by their Government, what could they do?
Our last accounts, and their enemy being before Cadiz, was as unexpected as an earthquake, and quite as unaccountable, as that Spain has no army. They [the French] will find it very difficult to conquer this country, and though things in Spain are certainly very dispiriting, the game is not lost. Nothing, however, but a revolution (horrid as the idea is to humanity) can save it, and that is already begun, I suspect, and I hope the traitors will fall. I am quite of the opinion that Public safety is the Supreme Law, and the cant of humanity, when the country is to be saved, I consider as weak and unmanly. They have paid dearly for a bigoted adherence to old absurd forms and prejudices. I do not mean that a revolution and popular Government will now save them. But I am sure that it is the only thing that can. They are very enthusiastical and violent, and they abhor the French, against whom their fury will be directed as well as against their Government and traitors; and in this tumult some great characters may start up.
As to Flushing, our expedition there was disastrous, but well meant. Who could foresee that Austria would so soon make peace? And the diversion, had it continued the war, would have been of great consequence. Besides, as a soldier, I think we make too much fuss about the loss of men where a great object is to be obtained. Victorious or beaten we must lose men, but while we regret their loss individually, we should not as a public one, in so glorious and just a cause, that of our political existence as a nation.
I write to Tom some account of our tour, which was very pleasant, though rapid. We travelled near 200 leagues in less than two months. Nothing can exceed the beauty of part of the country we went through, and we had only one day rain, and our inspection of the progress of the discipline of the Portuguese troops was as pleasant as our most sanguine wishes could expect.