_September 3, Saturday._--_Penelope’s_ boat lands us at Fort São
Julião at one o’clock. Go to Colonel Blunt (commanding 3rd Buffs).
Very civil man. Sends his orderly with us to Ociras to point out the
road to Cintra, where the army is. At Ociras, a mile from Fort São
Julião, get animals. Arrive at the Palace of Cintra, occupied by Sir
Henry Dalrymple. Get an excellent bed, the inn kept by an Irishwoman. A
romantic spot. The mountains of Cintra part of the range of the Rock of
Lisbon.
_September 4, Sunday._--See Squire, Lord W. Bentinck, and Burgos. Walk
with Burgos towards English camp. Meet mules. Return with him and
ascend the mountains of Cintra. Meet General Moore--bon! Reach the
top, crowned with a convent, continuing the very highest peak of the
Rock. Noble view from thence. Take many angles with a righted compass.
Go west over the mountains to a reputed curiosity, which Mulcaster
calls the convent of cork. Find it lined with cork--cork door and cork
ceiling, etc., to keep out damp. Go into refectory; drink and eat.
Table hewn out of the top of an enormous pebble, whose bottom formed
the ceiling of the church. Find Williams and Drevil at the inn, having
come from Sir A. W.’s army. Williams and I sleep at the inn. In the
morning army to move towards Fort São Julião.
_September 6._--Dine with General Moore--bon! Ordered to hold myself in
readiness for Elvas.
_September 10._--Buy two horses at 18 guineas each. Dine with Squire.
Fletcher arrives and tells me I march at four o’clock the following day.
_September 11._--Pack up till two. Row servant. Send artificer off with
baggage and start myself. Arrive at General Moore’s quarters. Go to
Lisbon to embark the horses.
_September 13._--March with regiment and arrive at Vendas Novas,
passing through uninteresting country. Here is a palace belonging to
the Prince capable of containing 10,000 men, stables for 500 horses,
adequate kitchens and water. Beastly contrived, great staring barrack
rather than palace, and the French had torn down wainscoting and false
doors in search of treasure.
Proceed over like country until within five miles of Montemor o Novo,
when it becomes more rich and wooded; indeed, all along the beautiful
foliage of the cork trees greatly relieved the sandy sterility of the
way.
Arrive at Montemor o Novo. Regiment camps out. Get good billet. Wall
round the castle. Examine the position. Sup and sleep excellently.
Silver ewers and covers.
_September 14._--Re-examine position. Nuns of the castle send to say
glad to see us. Breakfast--tea, coffee, bread, butter, honey, eggs,
sweetmeats, oranges--latter sent by the nuns. The Prioress from St.
Domingo--the colour of gold. Eat cakes and see the ravages of the
French in search of money.
Regiment marched through this morning at five o’clock.
Start for Arrayolos, distance twelve miles.
_September 15._--Arrive at Venda do Dogue, apparently a poor farmhouse,
and we found that the farmer was a Captain. I observed that the Captain
was a sensible man, preferring to gain bread by open honest industry
to starving his wife and family by a strained support of gentility;
and on asking whether we might not venture to offer some sort of
compensation for what we were supplied with, my servant told me they
were the richest people in the country; that this was their place of
retirement from their palace in the city! We had a sumptuous breakfast,
with sweetmeats. Started at twelve and reached Estremoz at four--a
walled town with a citadel. Here we find the regiment. Get a billet on
Adjutant Gaze and find that the Spaniards are before Elvas. Propose
to Colonel R. to go forward to reconnoitre. Regiment encamp a league
beyond the town.
_September 16._--At six o’clock start for the camp, and find I had
better not go forward, as Cockburn, who was gone to Lisbon, had brought
intelligence that the Frenchmen had required an officer from Junot
to authenticate the orders of surrender, and a suspension had been
entered into between all parties for six days; also the fort had made
a convention with the town--one not firing, the other not supplying
or admitting the Spaniards. Therefore he thought the appearance of an
Engineer might excite jealousy, etc.
Get permission to go on.
Bring Elvas and Fort La Lippe in view. Arrive at the first post of
cavalry in rear of the Spanish camp. Sent from one camp to the
other, till at last, about two o’clock, we reach the Colonel’s tent
off Badajoz. We step into the tent and join the Colonel and other
officers at dinner--a most excellent mess of rice and salt fish, in a
camp kettle, and first-rate sausages. We get on most merrily. I give
the health of Fernando Septimo. The jolly Colonel roars. Replies the
thundering tent, and the whole camp resounds. Bon!
Conducted to the General. He doubts our errand, and bids us wait the
return of a British officer from Badajoz. This was O’Brien, who had
been sent on before with a communication to the fort.
We said No; if the General would not give us permission to see the
batteries, we would go to Elvas.
The General’s aide-de-camp said that we could not go to Elvas because
of the Convention.
I asked if there was a Spanish guard over the gates. “No.” “Then pass
us through your camp.”
An officer conducted us through the greater part, and pointed out the
road to Elvas and left us.
We were brought up by the advanced posts, commanded by a Colonel of
Cavalry--true Spanish face. He made some difficulty, but passed us at
length, and we arrived at half-past four at the gates of Elvas, where
we sent in for permission to enter the town.
While we were waiting in the sun, sufficiently vexed at our occupation,
up came two Spanish dragoons and said that by order of their Colonel we
must go back with them.
Finding that we were two armed to two, we refused compliance with their
arbitrary message; but soon four more arrived, and intimated that they
were prepared to enforce it. I then desired that we might wait the
answer from within the town, Bernardo damning them into compliance. The
gates at length opened, and a Portuguese officer and guard appeared,
when we were admitted in pomp, and the poor dragoons refused a hearing.
We said we were far from wishing them to enter, and Bernardo set up a
loud laugh. We then went to the General, who took us to the Bishop--a
good man, trembling at the critical situation of his town.
I explained what had happened, and he rather wished our return. I said
we could go there to-morrow on our way home.
He then offered us his country house, and we were taken to the Junta,
of which the Bishop is the head, and it was resolved there that we
should stay. The Bishop told them what I had told him, that there was
no doubt of the French surrendering the town, because the whole French
army was in our power, and it would ruin them if the Convention was
broken. Lodge at the house of a jolly, hospitable Major de bon Cœur.
_September 17._--Start for the Spanish camp at nine o’clock, having
procured credentials from the Judge. Visit the cavalrymen’s tent.
Nothing passes about yesterday. Rains excessively hard. Conducted to
the General; find O’Brien there. Now well received. Get permission to
see the batteries--four 24-pounders and 6 guns,--and am set down to a
ham, the finest I ever tasted.
Return to Estremoz. I, a Christian, talk much by the way to O’Brien, a
sceptic. Agree on poetry. Lose our way five times. Pass through Borba,
the prettiest Portuguese place yet seen. Arrive at Estremoz, and get
some dinner at Colonel R.’s.
_September 18, Sunday._--Seek for breakfast. Find in a coffee-house a
nauseous party of Portuguese officers, who gamed and drank and smoked
and stank. The dignified commander of cavalry--a yellow individual
covered with dirt and stars--undertook to ask for what we wanted,
as he spoke French. I told him we wanted bread, honey, coffee, and
boiled eggs. I watched his interpretation to the women. He said these
gentlemen want “bread, honey, coffee, and eggs, all boiled together,”
to explain which he made a motion with his hand to stir it about.
The woman looked petrified, and we roared, and the cavalier was
confounded. Swallow our breakfast. Get another billet.
Colonel R. has a field day in the square, to show the people how to do
it, which went off admirably.
_September 19._--Colbourn returns at 5 A.M. with a French officer,
a nice little fellow with a red face, much tired by attending
Colbourn’s rapid steps from Lisbon. We arrived at the camp, and at the
General’s found some difficulties--no admittance to the fort without
communicating with Badajoz. A messenger was despatched, and we said we
would go to Elvas. That could not be permitted. They begged we would
remain with the General until the return of the messenger, which would
be at six o’clock. Colbourn said first of all, “Very well”; but upon
consulting, we agreed it would be better to go to a village about a
league off and return at six. We communicated this to the A.D.C., who
seemed much troubled, and said his General understood we should remain,
and would be much better pleased if we did.
“But we have changed our minds.”
“Ah! but I don’t know whether the General will permit it.”
“What! would he keep us prisoners here?”
“Oh, no.”
Upon which he ran to the General and returned with answer, “That we
must do as we pleased.”
We then went to a house about a league off, ate some bread and fruit,
and returned at 6 P.M. to find the messenger not returned, nor post
horses from Elvas arrived.
The having the French officer with us in the Spanish camp, where every
one was ready to cut his throat, gave us some uneasiness, for we
witnessed in the Spanish, officers and all, a hatred not to be overcome
for a moment. The Adjutant-General came to me and whispered, “Is that
an Englishman?” “No,” said I, “French.” He started away, and the effect
it had on him immediately called to my mind the case of a man with
hydrophobia at the sight of water. They would offer him nothing to
eat, although they saw him sinking for want of refreshment and rest.
So whatever they gave us we offered to him before we would touch it.
Even the old cook who filled my glass with a smiling face settled his
countenance into a solemn gloom as he transferred the mouth of the
bottle to the Frenchman’s cup.
This sort of thing made us determine to decline the entreaty of the
General and to sleep in a small town called Bersim, in which Colbourn
knew a house where our charge would be secure.
“Et me voilà à cheval encore,” said he as we left the camp. Our
kind demeanour to him contrasted with the Spanish scowl; our jokes,
loud laughter, and general merriment seemed to give him the utmost
confidence in our protection. He was about seventeen years old, with a
florid countenance and slight form; a page to Napoleon and a lieutenant
in the 1st Regiment of Dragoons.
When we arrived at our house about ten o’clock the master received
us very well, and immediately began talking of the French, asked if
they were all embarked, and hoped we would send them to the bottom. At
this the little Frenchman cocked his ears, and bursting with laughter,
asked if he did not tell us to send ’em to the bottom. This afforded us
much amusement a great part of the night. We put the Frenchman in the
middle, that they might have the less chance of finding him.
_September 20._--O’Brien and I, getting up, could not perceive the
head of the Frenchman, so we removed softly the cloak to see whether
it was on all safe. Our host coming in about six, I asked him how he
did, saying, “England for ever! no Frenchmen!” which made our little
friend laugh right heartily. The old man again hoped we should send
them to the bottom. “Why?” said the Frenchman. “_Because they are
good-for-nothing fellows_,” said the host. At last he began to suspect,
by our laughter, the difference of uniform, and the two different
languages, which he perceived we spoke among us, that all was not
right, and I being dressed in blue and the Frenchman in green, he set
us both down for Frenchmen; and though I assured him I was English, all
the household looked at me with a very doubting civility afterwards.
At ten o’clock we started again for the camp, and arrived there
about twelve. The answer had arrived, and the Spanish General Galazo
admitted of our communication with the fort, but sent thither at the
same time some ridiculous proposals of his own. We set out for the
fort accompanied by a Spanish aide-de-camp. The commander of the
fort was General Novellard. After settling our business, the Spanish
aide-de-camp proposed from his General that the French should evacuate
the fort in twenty-four hours and lay down their arms on the glacis.
The Frenchman, instead of reply, gave him a most severe rowing upon
the little attention paid by the Spaniards to the laws of war. The
officers, he said, had neither probity nor honour. “If,” said he, “you
recommence the fire, I shall destroy Elvas, while all the harm you
can do to me will be the loss of ten or fifteen Frenchmen; the harm
you do to the fort will injure your friends and allies the English,
whose possession it now is. I had hoped that this business would have
been ended in a manner worthy of civilised soldiers, and that all our
rancour, our hatred, and our courage would have been reserved for
another field of battle. I will have no communication with you. If you
send a flag of truce I shall fire upon it; so you have served mine.
There are forty Spaniards (besides two, my prisoners, who have broken
their parole) offered for three French prisoners in your hands. I have
made this offer twenty-five times unanswered! I consider this fort
is an English possession, and in the execution of a treaty under the
sanctity of the French word we will all perish. Messieurs Anglais, come
to your fort; its guns shall protect your approach; here you shall be
lodged, but I cannot march out my garrison until the Spaniards have
decamped, for they are not soldiers, and in spite of all treaties,
would assassinate my people in the road.”
So spake General Novellard, a keen, cool, sensible Frenchman with a
hawk’s eye.
In reminding the Spaniards that the Convention of Lisbon allowed
them to show themselves again on the Spanish frontier, as well as in
the drift of his whole speech, he showed a cunning desire to set us
together by the ears.
But although the Spaniards had provoked us, and we enjoyed the whole
thing, we refused even a smile, or motion of assent or approbation.
The Spaniard was greatly agitated, and spoke bad French. He said he had
no plans.
We then went to Elvas without asking leave of the Spaniards. Got
post-horses there, O’Brien and I leaving our own horses. While
taking our coffee we talked much with a Spanish Brigadier-General,
who complained of our Convention. “We were sending 20,000 men (whose
throats they had fondly hoped to cut), with their arms in their hands,
upon the Spanish frontier. These men,” he said, “had committed such
enormities, that even though a different conduct on the part of our
General had caused the erasure of Lisbon and the death of half its
population, it would have been witnessed with shouts of joy, so long as
the French themselves were included in the crash.”
“Well, but,” said I, “we have just brought you 10,000 Spaniards from
Denmark.” He smiled and said, “He had heard it.” “And,” I added, “if
you will let us assist you, our greatest desire is to go with you into
Spain and help you to drive out the French, whom we long to fight
again. We honour the Spanish nation, and desire to be friends with it
for ever.” He seemed highly pleased, and made some apology for the
dress of their army before Elvas.
I said, “It was no uncommon thing to see soldiers all dressed alike,
but when we saw a Spanish army in the dress of peasants, it reminded us
of the glorious exertions made by the whole body of the Spanish people,
and we honoured them ten times more.”
He seemed delighted, and said that “the Spanish people were the noblest
in the world, that the Government had wished to clothe them, but with
one voice they replied, ‘In the dress of peasants we have rescued our
country and beat the French in Spain; in the dress of peasants we
will utterly destroy them.’” This Spanish General then reprobated the
conduct of Galazo, who, he said, had sent his troops before Elvas in
consequence of the Convention made by the English.
We were now ready to return to the Spanish camp, so we called at the
fort for the French officer, and all started together.
O’Brien’s horse and the Frenchman’s soon knocking up, the former takes
him under convoy, and Colbourn and I ride on.
This was the first of my acquaintance with Colbourn, a sound,
well-judging, good man, having also great refinement of feeling, and I
hope to know more of him.
Colonel Ross sends Colbourn back to get some written extracts of what
the Spanish General proposed. I sleep at the inn.
_September 21._--Colbourn returns about 2 P.M. and sets off with the
French officer to Lisbon.
_September 23._--Regiment marches at 4 A.M. We start at nine, I leading
my horse, Wills and O’Brien theirs, and Bernardo the mule, because of
sore backs. Arrive at Borba, six miles, at half-past ten.
I meet a man on the road to Elvas who tells me he is the richest person
hereabouts, and insists that we shall come to his house, and the ladies
run to us crying Viva! and embracing our knees. We repose on a couch
while breakfast prepares, consisting of chocolate, eggs, bread, pears,
peaches, apricots, angelica, melon, biscuits and macaroons, and a
couple of boiled fowls, with excellent wine.
Arrive at Villavicosa at two. Dine with Colonel Ross. Immense
sweetmeats sent by the nuns. A marquis sends two bottles of pink
champagne, one of white, and one of claret, all excellent.
_September 24._--Colonel Campbell, with two more companies of the 20th
Regiment, march in at 6 A. M.
_September 27._--Ride with O’Brien towards Jeramenha, where the French
are pouring into Spain. Portuguese treasure disgorging at Lisbon.
_September 28._--Regiment marches at four for Elvas. I ride through
the park and overtake the regiment before Villaboim. Ride on before
it to Elvas. Find Colonel Ross, Major Colbourn, O’Brien, and Q.M.G.
at breakfast with the Bishop; a very chaste breakfast and quiet
attendance. Monseigneur gives us a billet upon his provisore. The whole
town in a frenzy of joy, a many-tongued “Viva!” I go out with Colonel
Ross to meet the regiment at the gate. At the corner of a narrow
street a wild-looking Carthusian presented himself, shouting with
all his might, and trembling with agitation, “Viva los nostras amicos
Ingleses,” which he continued to repeat incessantly, accompanied by the
most frantic and terrific gestures.
The Bishop invited all the officers to dinner at three o’clock. Very
pleasant dinner, excellently cooked. Sat between old Byron and Wade,
and enjoyed it much. The Bishop gave several loyal toasts, and a filial
Frenchman (come to seek a wounded father) stood up and bowed with the
rest. He had narrowly escaped assassination two or three times in his
search.
This afternoon I went with Colbourn to see the garrison from Santa
Lucia march to La Lippe, and we perhaps prevented some stragglers on
the road from sharing the same fate. Afterwards I go to my provisore,
an old asthmatic pastor, who understands French, and has in his library
Voltaire, Racine, Molière, and many other interesting books, also the
_Paradise Lost_ of Milton in Portuguese prose. A capital house, with a
charming view into Spain, far over Badajoz.
_September 29._--The next day I walk to Fort La Lippe, and the French
Engineers show me all over the fort, one of them a modest and agreeable
sort of Frenchman, who says, “Cela coutera cher, mais on le prendra.”
Before leaving I come across an Irish rebel, who having been sent to
Prussia and taken by the French, now wishes to serve King George. He
had almost forgotten to speak English.
_September 30._--Bishop’s conversazione in the evening.
It appears that the Junta of Seville did not authorise the interference
of their foolish General Galazo in the affairs of Portugal, and it has
now given him orders to join the Patriot Castanos immediately, so in
obedience the Spaniards have decamped, and we are no longer obstructed
in the performance of our treaties.
There is something quite curdling in the fell spirit of revenge which
has taken possession of the minds of the Portuguese. No desire of
freeing their country, no ardent patriotic zeal can now actuate them
in their thirst for blood, for their oppressors are quelled, the
game is up, and they only desire to get out of the country; and yet
if a poor way-worn French soldier were to lie down and sleep under a
hedge, that the first Portuguese who saw him would cut his throat and
insult his corpse is as indisputable as that an Englishman under such
circumstances would spare and protect him.
Last night as I was going into my room an old gray-headed woman called
to me, and Bernardo (my Italian servant) interpreting, I found she
accused another female of favouring the French.
I took a stick, walked into the kitchen, and jestingly shook it
at the accused, whom, on turning, I perceived to be a very pretty,
pensive-looking lady (for ladies here snuggle round the only fire in
the kitchen), who entered on her defence very gently and persuasively,
saying “that she hated the French as much as any Portuguese ought to
do, but could not enter into the general triumph the other day when the
mob murdered a solitary French officer, who possibly had not committed
the smallest fault against them; nor could she think otherwise than
with horror of those beastly women who ran and plunged their knives
into the bleeding body.”
I laid my fingers on her arm, and then carried them to my lips, in
token of approbation, and shook my stick at the old dame.
The Bishop gave a grand dinner two days ago to all the officers. A
French officer had come with a flag of truce into the town to see the
good man, as his father had been well-nigh assassinated and severely
wounded, but he succeeded in getting him under the protection of the
English surgeon.
The Bishop, who is an excellent man, had him to dinner, because he dare
not trust him in the hands of the people; and we all, by civility and
conversation, endeavoured to assure and comfort him, which gave great
umbrage to the Portuguese.
I shall now for some time be very much occupied, as I am instructed,
after examining Elvas, to inspect the nature of the frontier towards
Spain, an occupation which is unlimited as to time.
_October 5._--French march at six o’clock--1400 men.
I ride on the Estremoz road to the head of the march, and take leave of
General Novellard.
Go to the fort to hunt for plans, and find that Wills has them.
_October 12._--Ordered to Badajoz, and on to make a reconnaissance.
Write home.
ELVAS, _October 12, 1808_.
MY LOUISA--I am now in much higher mind than when I last wrote,
for by far the greater part of the army on this Peninsula has been
placed under Sir John Moore’s command, and is shortly to march into
Spain, where the glorious, virtuous enthusiasm is the admiration of
all foreigners.
We find that the Spaniards are now disposed to send to the devil
all diffidence of the English, and will be delighted to receive us,
and to profit by our assistance. I am just ordered a good jaunt
on the frontier, to the Tagus at Alcantara, to get some local
information preparatory to the passage of the army into Spain.
Afterwards I am to join General Paget, at which I am much pleased.
No time to say more.--Yours,