On my return I found our Army in a position as strong as anything can well be imagined, studded with Redoubts and Batteries, extending from the front of Torres Vedras to the Tagus at Alhandra, by Bucellas, on the chain of hills which runs behind Sobral, nearly from the sea to the river. It is rather an extended one, but a part is so strong by nature, and by art, that the troops can with great safety in great part be spared to repel the enemy wherever he may attack, and I feel not a doubt of his being forced to abandon the enterprize and retreat, or that if he attack us, scarcely a more desperate measure than the other, he will be completely defeated and destroyed.
Masséna, as far as my very slender knowledge of these matters goes, is in a most desperate scrape, and I scarce see how it is possible to get out of it without the loss of a great part of his army. I cannot account for his incautious advance, for he has little reason to doubt the conduct of the Portuguese after the Busaco business, and could scarce be such a fool as to imagine that because we retired, we were hurrying to embark without fighting a battle, after having so completely beaten him at Busaco. I dare say he had no idea of the great strength of these lines. I had none myself, though I had seen parts of them. But now that he is close to us, I cannot see how he can avoid fighting us. Even should we be unfortunate, we have other strong lines to retire to, and we must fight him again. As for embarking, I do not see how that is to be accomplished, if we are defeated, and did I feel less confident of victory, and less fearful that they will not attack us, I should think the game as desperate for us as for them. However, nothing can exceed the confidence and spirit of our army, who are very well provided, while we know for certain the French want entirely for bread, and must soon for meat. At present they have enough. Their Officers tell them they are to be in Lisbon in a fortnight, but the reports of their deserters, and their number, sufficiently prove how little they are believed.
Trant and Genl. Miller and Colonel Wilson advanced suddenly with a large body upon Coimbra, and took about 5000 sick and wounded, 80 Officers and a whole company of the Marines of the Imperial guard, who have all except about 200 arrived at Porto, and are long e’er this embarked. It was a dashing movement which completely destroys the enemy’s communications that way with Spain, and has spread the greatest terror and dismay in the French Army, as well as great disgust at their sick being abandoned, with so weak a garrison as 300 men. Many of these wretches must die and have died. Such are the horrors of war, but one cannot pity them, when we consider the enormities and cruelties they commit everywhere, where they pass, they are a horde of the most savage Banditti, and, desperately miserable themselves, they spread terror and desolation wherever they approach.
We go every morning to a large work near Sobral, in which place they are, and from whence we see almost all our own position, and what they are about. Their posts are about ¼ mile from it, and close to ours. Junot’s and Ney’s Corps d’armée in our front in the different villages, but most encamped near a large pine wood, and in it, about 3 miles in our front. And this is their principal force, about 30 to 35,000 men; and Regnier’s corps is on our right near the Tagus in front of Hill. Ld. Wellington’s dispositions are very much approved by everybody, and said to be masterly. As far as I can judge, I think so too.
The greatest cordiality exists between the Portuguese and English troops, and they are so disposed as mutually to support and encourage each other, without much being risked by their misconduct should it be so, which nobody now fears, or could in justice the most captious, after the proofs they have given of their courage and good will.
J. Croft came yesterday and shared my bearskin with me on the softest straw I could procure, and this morning he rode at daybreak with me to the Battery, where I showed him the lions. It was very interesting, as there were several movements on the part of the enemy, who appeared to be concentrating their force in the wood I before mentioned, and near it, fronting our centre. But my own private opinion is that if they attack us at all, they will attack the left.
Croft afterwards set off again for his son, and as I did not think I should be able to get back again in time to write, I begged him to mention that he had seen me and I was well. I have, however, fortunately returned in time to write this hasty scrawl with a wretched pen and greasy paper, which must excuse me with you for the difficulty you may have in reading it.
I have received the second part of the translation on the Defence of Portugal, but have not had time to read a line yet, for we breakfast at ½-past 4 and dine at six, which, with a good deal of riding, makes us most ready to avail ourselves of all leisure moments to sleep.
Adieu. I hope my next may be to announce a most glorious victory, of which I have not a doubt, whenever they attack us, and which from circumstances I do not think they can long delay, and we are quite ready to receive them.
Believe me, my dear Father, Ever most gratefully and most affectionately, Yours,