Wm. Warre.
I hope my father will receive the Merinos safe which I sent him, and that they will turn out well. I wish him to keep them or dispose of them just as he pleases.
I send a letter from Clara, which pray deliver to him.
Lagiosa, 22nd August 1810.
My Dear Father,
I intended to have written (you will be amused at this beginning and the length of the letter, which I write at a gallop, expecting every moment that the Marshal will mount) you a long letter to-day, but, being on the move, I have only time to tell you that our Army has again made a forward movement, and we this day change our Hd. Quarters to Avelans da Ribeira, to the right of Alberca, which becomes for the present Lord Wellns. Hd. Quarters. The Army is all on the move, but I am ignorant of what the intention of our Generals is, whether to cross the Coa and raise the siege of Almeida, on which place they have not yet that we know of opened their batteries, or whether by a diversion on this side favor the disturbances which have been reported to have arisen in Spain. Whatever it is, it is a forward movement. Everybody is in high spirits.
The distance to which Junot has removed with his Corps d’Armée, and Regnier being occupied by General Hill, it leaves only the 6th Corps, Ney’s, to besiege Almeida, and, if the other Corps are really at such a distance as not to be able to support it, it would be a shame for us to let them take that place before our faces. As yet we know pretty correctly from deserters, who continue to come over in considerable numbers, that they have only completed the first parallel, and were at work at constructing the batteries in it. Their heavy guns had arrived but were not mounted. The garrison keep up a very brisk fire, and the enemy have lost some men. They press forward very boldly at daybreak, their light troops close to the place, and fire into the enclosures to annoy the gunners.
But Br. Genl. Cox, the Governor, by telegraph informs us that he does not much mind them, and that the garrison is in excellent spirits. Hitherto the Portuguese have had all the firing on their side. When the batteries open from the enemy, we shall be better able to judge how resolute they are. I daresay they will do very well.
I can, however, assure you that the situation of the French in Spain is most distressing. Officers of rank from Madrid write to France (intercepted correspondence) that they are reduced to the greatest necessity. Joseph the usurper, with an army of 250,000 men in Spain, is only in possession of that part of his kingdom which the Troops occupy. The supplies from Cordova and Grenada to Madrid are no longer sure, indeed most precarious. In short, all orders write almost in utter despair, and conjure Buonaparte to alter his system with regard to that wretched country. The army have not been paid for ten months, and in many parts, particularly Almeida and its neighbourhood, are dreadfully distressed for bread, and all the foreigners ready to desert the first opportunity. Buonaparte says he can only give them yearly 24 millions of Francs (1 million sterling), what folly! The tyrant recommends rigour, which is all in our favour, and his party from Spain write that if the Emperor cannot be got to alter his plans with regard to the Spaniards, they cannot with all their force and advantage answer for the consequences.