Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B.,
to C. Stuart, Esq.
' Convent of Busaco, 27th
Sept., 1810.
' MY DEAR SIR, ' We have been engaged with the enemy
for the last three days, and I think we shall be attacked again to-morrow ; as
I understand they must carry our position, on which, however, they have as yet
made no impression, or starve. Our loss has been trifling ; that of the British
troops about 300 men ; that of the Portuguese, who have conducted themselves
remarkably well in several brisk attacks, rather greater ; the loss of the
French must have been very large indeed, and we hear from deserters that they
are much discouraged. Our position is an excellent one, and it is certainly no
easy task to carry it ; but I think they will make another trial.
' Pray detain the packet till the result of the action is
known.
' Believe me, &c.; ' WELLINGTON.
' Be so kind as to tell the Admiral that I saw his son this
day, after the action, in which General Leith's corps were engaged, and that he
was quite well.'
Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B.,
to Major General Leith, and to Lieut. General Hill.
' Busaco, 28th September,
1810, 8 A.M.
' Have you had any patrole out to the front of your right,
towards Gondalem, or beyond Carvalho Velho ? ' Has General Hill any
intelligence from the left bank of the Mondego ?
' WELLINGTON.'
Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B.,
to Lieut. General Hill.
'Busaco, 28th September, 1810,
half-past 10 A.M.
' MY DEAR HILL, ' Send to Le Cor, and desire him to have
at least a battalion and two guns on the northern extremity of the Serra da
Murcella, in order to defend the right flank of the post of Na Sa del Monte.
' Let Fane watch well the movements of the enemy's left, and
give me the earliest intelligence of them. Foz d'Alva is a very important
point.
' Believe me, &c.; ' WELLINGTON.
' 28th September, quarter before 6 P.M ' Observe the enemy
upon the right, and if there is no attack directed upon that side, close the
British infantry to the right.'
Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B.,
to Lieut. General Hill.
' Fornos, 29th September,
1810.
' MY DEAR HILL, ' It appears that the enemy withdrew
last night from their position in front of the Serra; but we do not yet know
which way they have marched, after passing the hills between the Serra and
Mortagoa. Our cavalry have not seen them on the road from Mortagoa to
Sardaõ; nor are they seen passing the road which leads to the rear from
the Criz. It is possible, therefore, that they may be about to cross the
Mondego, and endeavor to force your right.
' Give me the earliest intelligence of any movement of this
description. Let Fane occupy the Serra de Moita with his cavalry, and show
himself upon the Mondego, and well forward in the valley.
' If you should find that the enemy cross the Mondego, send
Le Cor immediately to Arganil, and depend upon my being with you, with the
whole army, in a few hours.
' If they try our left instead of our right, I shall give
you instructions for movements corresponding with ours. ' General Craufurd is
still upon the Serra; General Cole and General Spencer near this place;
Generals Leith and Picton between this and the Mondego.
' Believe me, &c.; ' WELLINGTON.
' P. S. Since writing the above, I have received accounts
which induce me to believe that the enemy have moved to our left.'
Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B.,
to Lieut. General Sir Stapleton Cotton, Bart.
' Fornos, 29th September,
1810, quarter past 3 P.M.
' MY DEAR COTTON, ' If the enemy should advance upon
you in force, you must retire from Mealhada.
' General Cole is with his division at Carqueijo, about a
mile and a half in front of this, where I wish you to go if you should retire.
Craufurd will be at Botao this night.
* I propose that you should fall back in the morning,
according to your former instructions from the Quartermaster General.
' Send off your baggage early.
' Believe me, See. ' WELLINGTON'.
Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B.,
to Vice Admiral the Hon. G. Berkeley.
' Coimbra, 30th September,
1810.
' SIR, ' I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 24th instant, with the proposal to land the regiments, which
may arrive from England at the mouth of the Mondego. I am much obliged to you
for the suggestion, but I wish all I ships with troops to proceed to the
Tagus.
' I have the honor to be, &c.;
'WELLINGTON.
Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B.,
to the Earl of Liverpool, Secretary of State.
' Coimbra, 30th September,
1810.
' MY LORD, ' While the enemy was advancing from Celorico
and Trancoso upon Viseu, the different divisions of militia and ordenanza were
employed upon their flanks and rear; and Colonel Trant with his division
attacked the escort of the military chest and reserve artillery near Tojal, on
the 20th instant. He took 2 officers and 800 prisoners, but the enemy collected
a force from the front and rear, which obliged him to retire again towards the
Douro. I understand that the enemy's communication is completely cut off, and
he possesses only the ground upon which his army stands.
' My dispatch of the 20th instant will have informed you of
the measures which I had adopted and which were in progress to collect the army
in this neighbourhood, and, if possible, to prevent the enemy from obtaining
possession of this town. "
' On the 21st the enemy's advanced guard pushed on to
Sta Combadaõ, at the junction of the rivers Criz
and Daõ; and Brigadier General Pack retired across the former and joined
Brigadier General Craufurd at Mortagoa, having destroyed the bridges over those
two rivers.
' The enemy's advanced guard crossed the Criz, having
repaired the bridge, on the 23rd, and the whole of the 6th corps was collected
on the other side of the river. I therefore withdrew the cavalry through the
Serra de Busaco, with the exception of three squadrons, as the ground was
unfavorable for the operation of that arm.
' On the 25th, the whole of the 6th and of the 2nd corps
crossed the Criz in the neighbourhood of Sta Combadaõ; and Brigadier
General Pack's brigade and Brigadier General Craufurd's division retired to the
position which I had fixed upon for the army on the top of the Serra de Busaco.
These troops were followed in this movement by the whole of the corps of Ney
and Regnier (the 6th and the 2nd) ; but it was conducted by Brigadier General
Craufurd with great regularity, and the troops took their position without
sustaining any loss of importance.
' The 4th Portuguese Cacadores, which had retired on the
right of the other troops, and the piquets of the 3rd division of infantry,
which were posted at Sta Antonio de Cantaro, under Major Smyth of the 45th
regiment, were engaged with the advance of Regnier's corps in the afternoon,
and the former showed that steadiness and gallantry which others of the
Portuguese troops have since manifested.
' The Serra de Busaco is a high ridge which extends from the
Mondego in a northerly direction about eight miles. At the highest point of the
ridge, about two miles from its termination, is the convent and garden of.
Busaco. The Serra de Busaco is connected by a mountainous tract of country with
the Serra de Caramula, which extends in a north easterly direction beyond
Viseu, and separates the valley of the Mondego from the valley of the Douro. On
the left of the Mondego, nearly in a line with the Serra de Busaco, is another
ridge of the same description, called the Serra da Murcella, covered by the
river Alva, and connected by other mountainous parts with the Serra d'Estrella.
' All the roads to Coimbra from the eastward lead over the
one or the other of these Serras. They are very difficult for the passage of an
army, the approach to the top of the ridge on both sides being mountainous.
' As the enemy's whole army was on the right of the Mondego,
and it was evident that he intended to force our position, Lieut. General Hill
crossed that river by a short movement to his left, on the morning of the 26th,
leaving Colonel Le Cor with his brigade on the Serra da Murcella, to cover the
right of the army, and Brigadier General Fane, with his division of Portuguese
cavalry and the 13th light dragoons, in front of the Alva, to observe and check
the movements of the enemy's cavalry on the Mondego.
' With this exception, the whole army was collected upon the
Serra de Busaco, with the British cavalry observing the plain in the rear of
its left, and the road leading from Mortagoa to Oporto, through the mountainous
tract which connects the Serra de Busaco with the Serra de Caramula.
' The 8th corps joined the enemy in our front on the 26th,
but he did not make any serious attack on that day. The light troops on both
sides were engaged throughout the line.
' At 6 in the morning of the 27th, the enemy made two
desperate attacks upon our position, the one on the right, the other on the
left of the highest part of the Serra. The attack upon the right was made by
two divisions of the 2nd corps, on that part of the Serra occupied by the 3rd
division of infantry. One division of French infantry arrived at the top of the
ridge, where it was attacked in the most gallant manner by the 88th regiment,
under the command of Lieut. Colonel Wallace, the 45th, under the command of
Lieut. Colonel the Hon. R. Meade, and by the 8th Portuguese regiment, under the
command of Lieut. Colonel Douglas, directed by Major General Picton. These
three corps advanced with the bayonet and drove the enemy's division from the
advantageous ground which they had obtained. The other division of the 2nd
corps attacked further on the right, by the road leading by St Antonio de
Cantaro, also in front of Major General Picton's division. These were repulsed,
before they could reach the top of the ridge, by the 74th, under the command of
Lieut. Colonel the Hon. R. Trench, and the brigade of Portuguese infantry of
the 9th and 21st regiments, under the command of Colonel Champelmond, directed
by Colonel Mackinnon. Major General Leith also moved to his left to the support
of Major General Picton, and aided in the defeat of the enemy by the 3rd
battalion of Royals, the 1st battalion of the 9th, and the 2nd battalion of the
38th regiments. In these attacks Major Generals Leith and Picton, Colonels
Mackinnon and Champelmond, of the Portuguese service, who was wounded, Lieut.
Colonel Wallace, Lieut. Colonel the Hon. R. Meade, Lieut. Colonel Sutton, of
the 9th Portuguese, Major Smyth of the 45th, who was afterwards killed, Lieut.
Colonel Douglas, and Major Birmingham, of the 8th Portuguese regiment.,
distinguished themselves.
' Major General Picton reports the good conduct of the 9th
and 21st Portuguese regiments, commanded by Lieut. Colonel Sutton and Lieut.
Colonel A. Bacellar, and of the Portuguese artillery, under the command of
Major Arentschildt. I have also to mention in a particular manner the conduct
of Captain Dansey of the 88th.
' Major General Leith reports the good conduct of the
Royals, 1st battalion, and 9th, and 2nd battalion of the 38th regiments; and I
beg to assure your Lordship that I have never witnessed a more gallant attack
than that made by the 88th, 45th, and 8th Portuguese regiments, on the enemy's
division which had reached the ridge of the Serra.
' On the left the enemy attacked with three divisions of
infantry of the 6th corps, on the part of the Serra occupied by the light
division of infantry commanded by Brigadier General Craufurd, and by the
brigade of Portuguese infantry commanded by Brigadier General Pack.
' One division of infantry only made any progress to the top
of the hill, and they were immediately charged with the bayonet by Brigadier
General Craufurd, with the 43rd, 52nd, and 95th, and the 3rd Portuguese
Cacadores, and driven down with immense loss.
' Brigadier General Coleman's brigade of Portuguese
infantry, which was in reserve, was moved up to the right of Brigadier General
Craufurd's division, and a battalion of the 19th Portuguese regiment, under the
command of Lieut. Colonel Mac Bean, made a gallant and successful charge upon a
body of another division of the enemy, which was endeavoring to penetrate in
that quarter.
' In this attack, Brigadier General Craufurd, Lieut.
Colonels Beckwith, of the 95th, and Barclay, of the 52nd, and the Commanding
Officers of the regiments, distinguished themselves.
' Besides these attacks, the light troops of the two armies
were engaged throughout the 27th; and the 4th Portuguese Caqadores, and the 1st
and 16th regiments, directed by Brigadier General Pack, and commanded by Lieut.
Colonel Hill, Lieut. Colonel Luis de Regoa, and Major Armstrong, showed great
steadiness and gallantry.
' The loss sustained by the enemy in his attack of the 27th
has been enormous. I understand that the Generals of Division, Merle, Loison,
and Maucune are wounded, and General Simon was taken prisoner by the 52nd
regiment; and 8 Colonels, officers, and 250 men.
' The enemy left 2000 killed upon the field of battle, and I
understand from the prisoners and deserters that the loss in wounded is
immense. ' The enemy did not renew his attack, excepting by the fire of his
light troops on the 28th ; but he moved a large body of infantry and cavalry
from the left of his centre to the rear, from whence I saw his cavalry in march
on the road from Mortagoa over the mountains towards Oporto.
' Having thought it probable that he would endeavor to turn
our left by that road, I had directed Colonel Trant, with his division of
militia, to march to Sardaõ, with the intention that he should occupy
the mountains, but unfortunately he was sent round by Oporto, by the General
Officer commanding in the north, in consequence of a small detachment of the
enemy being in possession of S. Pedro do Sul ; and, notwithstanding the efforts
which he made to arrive in time, he did not reach Sardaõ till the 28th
at night, after the enemy were in possession of the ground.
'As it was probable that, in the course of the night of the
28th, the enemy would throw the whole of his army upon the road, by which he
could avoid the Serra de Busaco and reach Coimbra by the high road of Oporto,
and thus the army would have been exposed to be cut off from that town, or to a
general action in less favorable ground, and as I had reinforcements in my
rear, I was induced to withdraw from the Serra de Busaco.
' The enemy did break up in the mountains at eleven at night
of the 28th., and he made the march I expected. His advanced guard was at
Avelans, on the road from Oporto to Coimbra, yesterday, and the whole army was
seen in march through the mountains. That under my command, however, was
already in the low country, between the Serra de Busaco and the sea; and the
whole of it, with the exception of the advanced guard, is this day on the left
of the Mondego.
' Although, from the unfortunate circumstance of the delay
of Colonel Trant's arrival at Sardaõ, I am apprehensive that I shall not
succeed in effecting the object which I had in view in passing the Mondego and
in occupying the Serra de Busaco, I do not repent my having done so. This
movement has afforded me a favorable opportunity of showing the enemy the
description of troops of which this army is composed ; it has brought the
Portuguese levies into action with the enemy for the first time in an
advantageous situation; and they have proved that the trouble which has been
taken with them has not been thrown away, and that they are worthy of
contending in the same ranks with British troops in this interesting cause,
which they afford the best hopes of saving.
' Throughout the contest on the Serra, and in all the
previous marches, and those which we have since made, the whole army have
conducted themselves in the most regular manner. Accordingly all the operations
have been carried on with ease; the soldiers have suffered no privations, have
undergone no unnecessary fatigue, there has been no loss of stores, and the
army is in the highest spirits.
' I have received throughout the service the greatest
assistance from the General and Staff Officers. Lieut. General Sir Brent
Spencer has given the assistance his experience enables him to afford me ; and
I am particularly indebted to the Adjutant and the Quarter Master General, and
the officers of their departments, and to Lieut. Colonel Bathurst, and the
officers of my personal staff; to Major General Howorth and the artillery, and
particularly to Lieut. Colonel Fletcher, Captain Chapman, and the officers of
the Royal Engineers. I must likewise mention Mr. Kennedy, and the officers of
the Commissariat, which department has been carried on most successfully.
' I should not do justice to the service, or to my own
feelings, if I did not take this opportunity of drawing your Lordship's
attention to the merits of Marshal Beresford. To him exclusively, under the
Portuguese Government, is due the merit of having raised, formed, disciplined,
and equipped the Portuguese army, which has now shown itself capable of
engaging and defeating the enemy.
' I have besides received from him all the assistance which
his experience and abilities, and his knowledge of this country have qualified
him to afford me.
' The enemy have made no movement in Estremadura, or in the
northern provinces, since I addressed your Lordship last. ' My last accounts
from Cadiz are of the 9th instant.
' I enclose a return of the killed and wounded of the allied
armies in the course of the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th.
' I send this dispatch by my aide de camp. Captain Burgh, to
whom I beg to refer your Lordship for any further details, and I recommend him
to your Lordship's notice.
' I have the honor to be, &c.; '
WELLINGTON.
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