Chapter XXXII: Massena’s proclamation to the Portugueze 440

The French invest Almeida 441

Almeida 442

Fort Conception abandoned 444

Affair on the Coa 445

Desponding letters from the army 448

Apprehensions expressed in England 450

Ney summons the governor of Almeida 451

Portugueze officers in Massena’s army 452

The Portugueze ordered to retire before the enemy 454

Siege of Almeida 455

Surrender of the place 456

The Portugueze prisoners enlist and desert 457

Condemnation of their conduct 458

Militia forced into the French service 459

They escape and rejoin the allies 460

Changes in the Portugueze Regency 461

Conduct of the Portugueze government 463

Arbitrary arrests at Lisbon 465

Apprehensions of the British government 467

Movements of Regnier’s corps, and of General Hill 470

Massena advances into Portugal 471

Ney and Regnier join him at Celorico 472

The French army collected at Viseu 474

Lord Wellington crosses to the Serra de Busaco 474

Busaco 476

Battle of Busaco 478

Behaviour of the Portugueze troops 482

Massena marches into the Porto road 484

Colonel Trant’s movements 485

The allies withdraw from Busaco 487

Trant retreats to the Vouga 487

The allies cross the Mondego 489

Flight of the inhabitants from Coimbra 490

The French enter Coimbra 490

The Portugueze people fly before the enemy 491

Hopes and expectations of the French 493

Confusion at Condeixa 494

Leiria forsaken 495

Alcobaça forsaken by the monks 496

Surprise at Alcoentre 497

The French discover the lines 498

Feelings of the British army 499

Lines of Torres Vedras 500

Romana joins the allies 504

Trant surprises the French in Coimbra 504

He escorts his prisoners to Porto 507

Difficulties of Massena’s situation 509

His demonstrations in front of the lines 511

Montbrun sent against Abrantes 512

The French army subsists by plunder 513

Deserters form themselves into a corps of plunderers 515

State of Lisbon 516

Opinions of the opposition in England 517

General La Croix killed 518

Massena retreats from the lines 520

Lord Wellington advances to Santarem 521

Both armies go into cantonments 522

The King’s illness 523

Proceedings concerning a Regency 525

Mr. Perceval 527

Troops sent to Portugal 530

Issues of money required 531

Conduct of Lord Grenville as Auditor of the Exchequer 532

State of the opposition 536

Their expectations 538

Language of the anarchists 538

Mr. Perceval popular at this time 542

Schemes for a new ministry 544

The King’s opinion during an interval of amendment 545

The Prince Regent announces his intention of making no change 546

Mr. Perceval’s reply 547

HISTORY

OF THE

PENINSULAR WAR.