By what we hear and read on this subject, the pro ject of a new bank seems to be the remedy most likely to be tried in the present crisis.* The combined British and Portuguese army, which had taken up a line of positions on the eastern frontier of Portugal, towards the close of 1809, continued sta tionary in the early part of the following year. A divi sion of this army under Major General Hill, occupied the Irontier line to the south of the Tagus, while the main body extended from the right bank of that river to the Douro. The fortress of Almeida was garrisoned chiefly by the Portuguese militia, under a British go vernor, Major General Cox ; the light troops and some cavalry, under Brigadier General Crawfurd, were ad vanced in front of that fortress, and patroled as far as Ciudad Rodrigo in Spain. In the mean time, the French, consisting of three corps, under Ney, Junot, and Reg nier, and commanded by Marshal Massena, were assem bling at Salamanca, and on the frontiers of Portugal. Their numbers most probably amounted to 80,000 men. The allied army, when concentrated, did not exceed 60,000, exclusive of the Portuguese militia and orde nenca, the greater part of hick were in the northern provinces with General Francisco de Silveira, and at Oporto and Coimbra with Colonels Trant and Millar.
The campaign of 1810 commenced with the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, by two corps of the French army, which invested the place on the 11th of June. On the night between the 15th and 16th .the trenches were opened, and in a few days the second parallel was completed.
On the 25th at night, the besiegers opened their fire, and on the 10th of July the place surrendered. How ever valuable the place might be, as an advanced post to the allies, Lord Wellington .did not judge it a suffi cient object to risk a general action for its relief. Of his Portuguese troops, composing nearly one half of his army, Lord Wellington had not sufficient experience to be assured of their steadiness,—the enemy was besides superior in cavalry, and the scene of action must have been upon plain ground. Alter the fall of Ciudad Ro drigo, the light division under General Crawfurd, con sisting of nearly 5000 men, remained between that place and Almeida. On the morning of the 24th of July, they were attacked by a corps of the enemy greatly su perior in numbers, which obliged them, alter a gallant defence, to retreat from their position across the bridge of the Coa. On the retreat of this advanced corps, the fortress of Almeida was completely invested, and the same day was summoned by General Loison to surren der. On the 15th of August the enemy's trenches were opened; in nine days, the second parallel was opened within 150 toises of the place, and on the morning of the 26th the hostile fire commenced from 65 pieces of cannon, which was returned from the fortress till four in the afternoon. At seven, the principal magazine in
the castle and two smaller ones exploded, by which the ramparts were greatly injured, the ammunition was lost, and 500 soldiers killed. Finding resistance una vailing, governor Cox surrendered the fortress on the night of the 27th.
In the interval between the commencement of the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo and the fall of Almeida, the corps of General Regnier (the left wing of the French,) was stationed on the frontiers of Spanish Estremadura, to the south of the Tagus, and was held in check by the division of General Hill, which occupied Portalegre, Elvas, and the frontier line of Alentejo. On the sur render of Almeida, Regnier crossed the Tagus with the view of turning Lord Wellington's right flank, and oc cupying the road to Lisbon by Castello Branco This movement General Hill was able to anticipate, and cross ing the Tagus at Villa Velha, possessed himself of the important road at that place. On the 16th of Septem ber, the French army broke up from Almeida, taking the direction of Guarda and Celerico; afterwards cross ing the Mondego by the bridge of Fornos, the three corps of Ney, Junot, and Regnier, tinder their com mander in chief, united on the 21st at Vizcu, where they halted for two days to bring up their artillery, which had been delayed by the badness of the road. Colonel Trant, who commanded a body of Portuguese militia and ordenenca, attacked an escort of the reserve artillery, and made some prisoners, but was obliged to retire towards the Douro. The British cavalry, under General Cotton at Celerico, withdrew from that place, following the route of the combined army, which had retired by the Val de Mondego to the position of the Sierra de Marcella, behind the river Alva. The ene my pushed on his advanced guard from Vizcu on the 21st, as far as Santa Comba Dao, at the junction of the rivers Criz and Dao. Brigadier General Pack, who had been stationed at this point with his brigade, after de stroying the bridges over these rivers, retired across the Criz, and joined General Crawford at Mortagao. On the 25th the enemy crossed the Criz with two corps of his army ; Generals Crawford and Pack retreated to the position of the Sierra de Busaco. As it appeared that the intention of the enemy was to force this posi tion, and by that means to possess himself of Coimbra, Lord Wellington made a movement to his left, cross ing the Mondego with the whole of his force, except one brigade of British which he left to cover his right flank, and a division of British and Portuguese cavalry which remained in front of the Alva, to keep the ene my's cavalry in check.