Extract from Letter, Hendon Place, 16th Oct. 1810.
Hendon Place, 16th Oct. 1810.
I give you joy of the glorious news. How delightful it is that the Portuguese have behaved so nobly. They have shown Bony’s ‘spoiled child of Fortune’ what they can do when well organised and commanded. Some of the Regts. were commanded by Portuguese. It will give dear William great satisfaction, though he will be sadly disappointed at not being there. He had been afflicted with his old complaint—was gone to the rear to recover. I do pity him not sharing in the glory when he has partaken so much of the fatigue, and General Beresford’s army having borne the whole brunt of the action makes it doubly mortifying as such an opportunity may not again offer. I long for letters from him, but fear we have no chance till the Packet arrives. Capt. Burgh told Papa he was quite recovered.
The French have concentrated their whole force, and were so determined to carry the day they only brought Frenchmen into the field. They would not trust their foreigners, who continue to desert in great numbers. Masséna applied to Lord Wellington for permission to bury his dead, which was refused, as Ld. W. wanted to ascertain their numbers.—Above 2000 were interred, and the general proportion is 3½ wounded to 1 killed. On this occasion it is supposed to be much greater, as the French had no artillery or cavalry, and we played away after them with grape and shot from our artillery down the hills.
Four of the Pintos are among the wounded or killed. A cousin of theirs is wounded.
A. E. W.
Extract from Letter dated Hendon, 25th Oct. 1810, referring to W. W.’s Letter, Oct. 6.