scription, which is called the Sierra de Marcella, covered by the river Alva, and connected by other mountainous tracts with the Sierra d'Estrella.

All the roads to Coimbra from the eastward, lead over one or the other of these Sierras. 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 ridge of the Mondego, and as it was evident that he intended to force our position, Lieutenant-General Hill crossed the river, by a short movement to his left, on the morning of the 26th, leaving Colonel le Cor with his brigade on the Sierra de Marcella, to cover the right of the army; and Major-General Fane with his division of Portuguese cavalry, and the thirteenth 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 Sierra de Busaco, with the British cavalry observing the plain in the rear of its left, and the road leading from Mortagoa in Oporto, through the mountainous tract which connects the Sierra de Busaco with the Sierra de Caramula.

The eighth 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 six 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 point of the Sierra. The attack upon the right, was made by two divisions of the second corps, on that part of the Sierra occupied by the third division of infantry. One division of French infantry arrived at the top of the ridge, when it was attacked in the most gallant manner by the eighty-eighth regiment, under the command of the Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace; and the forty-fight regiment, under the command of the Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel Meade, and by the eighth Portu guese 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 second corps attacked further on the right, by the road leading by St. Antonio de Cantaro, also in front of Major-General Picton's division. This division was repulsed before it could reach the top of the ridge, by the seventyfourth regiment, under the command of the Hon. Lieutenant

Colonel French, and the brigade of Portuguese infantry, under the command of Colonel Champelmend, 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 on this post, by the third battalion royals, the first battalion, and the second battalion thirty-eighth regiment.

In these attacks Major-General Leith and Picton, Colonels Mackinnon and Champelmond, of the Portuguese service, who was wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace, the Hon. LieutenantColonel Meade, Lieutenant-Colonel Sutton, of the ninth Portuguese regiment, Major Smith, of the forty-fifth regiment, who was unfortunately killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas, and Major Birmingham, of the eighth Portuguese regiment, distinguished themselves. Major-General Picton reports of the ninth and twenty-first Portuguese regiments, commanded by LieutenantColonel Sutton, and by Lieutenant-Colonel de Aroujé Bacellar, and of the Portuguese artillery, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Arentchild. I have also to mention in a particular manner the conduct of Captain Dansey of the eighty-eighth regiment.

Major-General Leith reports the good conduct of the royals, first battalion ninth, and second battalion thirty-eighth regiment: and I beg to assure your Lordship, that I never witnessed a more gallant attack than that made by the thirty-eighth, forty-fifth, and eighth Portuguese regiment, on the enemy's division which had reached the ridge of the Sierra.

On the left, the enemy attacked with three divisions of infantry of the sixth corps, that part of the Sierra occupied by the left division, commanded by Brigadier-General Crawfurd, and by the brigade of Portuguese infantry, commanded by Brigadier-General Pack.

One division of infantry only made any progress towards the top of the hill, and they were immediately charged with the bayonet by Brigadier-General Crawfurd with the forty-eighth, fifty-second, and ninety-fifth regiments, and the third Portuguese cacadores, and driven down with immense loss.

Brigadier-General Cleman's brigade of Portuguese infantry, which was in reserve, was moved up to support the right of Brigadier-General Crawfurd's division, and a battalion of the nineteenth Portuguese regiment, under the command of LieutenantColonel Macbean, made a gallant and successful charge upon a body of another division of the enemy, which was endeavouring to penetrate in that quarter.

In this attack Brigadier-General Crawfurd, Lieutenant-Colonels Beckwith of the ninety-fifth, and Barclay of the fifty-second, and the commanding officers of the regiments engaged, distinguished themselves.

Besides these attacks, the light troops of the two armies were engaged throughout the 27th, and the fourth Portuguese cacadores, and the first and sixteenth regiments, directed by BrigadierGeneral Pack, and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel de Rego Bonito, Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, and Major Armstong, shewed great steadiness and gallantry.

The loss sustained by the enemy in his attack of the 27th has been enormous.

I understand that the general of division Merle and General Maucun are wounded, and General Simon was taken prisoner by the fifty-second regiment, and three colonels, thirty-three officers, and two hundred and fifty men.

The enemy left two thousand 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 which leads from Mortagoa over the mountains towards Oporto.

Having thought it probable that he would endeavour to turn our left by that road, I had directed Colonel Trant, with his division of Militia, to march to Sardao, with the intention that he should occupy those mountains, but unfortunately he was sent round to Oporto by the general officer commanding in the North, in consequence of a small detachment of the enemy being in possession of St. Pedro de Sul; and, notwithstanding the efforts which he made to arrive in time, he did not reach Sardan till the 28th at night, after the enemy was in possession of the ground.

As it was probable that in the course of the night of the 28th the enemy would throw his whole army upon that road by which he could avoid the Sierra de Busaco, and reach Coimbra by the high road to Oporto, and thus the army would have been exposed to be cut off from that town, or to a general action on less favourable ground; and as I had reinforcements in my rear, I was induced to withdraw from the Sierra de Busaco. The enemy did break up in the mountains at eleven at night of the 28th, and he made the march expected. His advanced guard

was at Avelans, in 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 Sierra 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 Sardao, 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 Sierra de Busaco, I do not regret my having done so. The movement has afforded me a favourable opportunity of shewing 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 upon the Sierra, and in all the previous marches, and in those which we have since made, the whole army has conducted themselves in the most regular manner. Ac- cordingly all the operations have been carried 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.

Lieutenant-General Sir Brent Spencer has given me the assistance which his experience enables him to afford me, and I am particularly indebted to the Adjutant and the Quarter-MasterGeneral, and the officers of their departments, and to LieutenantColonel Bathurst, and the officers of my personal staff, to Brigadier-General Howarth, and the artillery, and particularly to Lieutenant-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 feeling, 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 shewn itself capable of engaging and defeating the enemy.

I have besides received from him, upon all occasions, all the assistance which his experience and abilities, and knowledge of this country, have qualified him to afford me.

The enemy has made no movement in Estramadura, or in the Northern Provinces, since I addressed your Lordship.

My last accounts from Cadiz are of the 9th inst.

I inclose a return of the killed and wounded of the allied armies in the course of the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th inst. I send this dispatch by my aid-de-camp, Captain Burgh, to whom I beg to refer your Lordship for any further details, and to recommend him to your Lordship's notice.

(Signed)

I have the honour to be, &c.

WELLINGTON.

His Lordship married, on April 10th, 1806, the Honourable Catharine Pakenham, sister to Thomas Earl of Longford; and has issue by her a son

Charles, born November 9th, 1807.

Titles. Sir Arthur Wellesley, K. B. Baron of Douro, and Viscount Wellington of Talavera.

Creations. Baron and Viscount by patent, August 26th,

1809.

Arms and Crest. Same as his brother, the Marquis Wellesley, omitting the escochion of pretence, and the additional crest with a millet for difference.

Supporters. On either side a lion, gules, gorged with an Eastern coronet and chain reflexed over the back, or.