The Sun.
London, England, 1808-09-09 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

•
Ve following Letter contains some inteiroting
pan iculars of ale recent vielories in Portugal:

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" VIMEIRA, AUG. 22.—Since I wrote to y4itl'a,
few days ago,, we have had a most glorious and me-
morable day for England. The French attacked us
Yesterday in our position, with their whole force,
near 1.x,000 men. The attack was expetted at day?
break, and would have been so, had they not been
delayed by the roads. We had laid by our arms
about two boors, after turning opt before day-break
as usual, when the 40th (part of General FERGUSON S
brigade) had their picquet driven in, and we beat to
arras. Our noble General (FcßovsoN), of, wbosee
gallantry and conduct it is.almost impossible to give
an idea, was soon on the mountain; -our quartearte—
ing about half a mile off, in the small towniof,Vi-
rneira. From thence we could perceive the enemy
atlyancine. to attack the centre of the army, and.a
strong column marching with •cavatry and artillery to
turn the hill on which our brigade was;, but as they
had to make a considerable round,
.we had full time-
to prepare. Sir A. WELLESLEY,. who commanded,
(Sir H. BURRARD being landed),
,ordered up
several brigades, and made a most masterly diaposi
tion. The centre of the
,army, from which we
Were „divided by a deep valley, was now attacked.
with great vigour ; but the. French received such a
deck, that we, soon- bad the glory of, seeing them
staggered, and then relax in their attack: • At this
time General FERGUSON'S brigade, and that under
General SPENCER, who commanded this wing,
were briskly attacked; General FERGUSON, iu about
half-an-hour after the fire ototneneed; °nitre& his
k,rigaile to char,ge, leading himself in a manner be-
3cond all praise; it is enough to. say, the Com-
'bander in pilief considers pith as 'having-most con-
tributed to the ccampletest victory. that would be oh,
tained,without cavalry to follow it up.
" The-French gave way; and were followed with
three cheers, by the -whole brigade; a part rallied,
bltt the 36th' and 71st charged them with an -irre-
sistible impetuosity, led on by General FERGUSON,
and- drove them' from their guns, of which they tour
leur, with as many tumbrils... The victory was now
certain, though they again rallied once more, and
Were again dispersed by the 71St; our artillery com-
pleted the triumph of this glorious -day. To speak
of the conduct of any body,
would iu me seem pre-
sumption ; every soldier- seemed a hero. The fire
for some time was tremendous, and the field strewed
with our brave fellows. In charging the guns, my
horse, a beautiful creature I had received but a few•
days before from Oporto, and which cost tne
moidores, was shot in several places, and tell dekltl.—.
r,got on another belonging to a dragoon, but so'tired.
he could not move ; and 1 had the cloak shot away
from before me. I thought it high time to- dis-
mount, and joined the. 36th, who were advancing,:
and with them I had the honour to remain during
the rest of the action.
" The loss of the French is very great ; upwards of
3000 -killed and wounded left on. the field; besides
Prisoners. Our army lost abOut 700, -and a good.
I1)aoy Officets.
y " The French army was commanded by JUNOT,
LOISON,CHAILOT, and BRENIER; the two
latter were taken with a great many Officers, and 13
Pit:ces of cannon.
ski" We Could adore FERGUSON for his bravery,
sll, and coolness,. in a fire- like hail aboUt him.--
ts orderly, a fine fellow of the 20th Dragoons,
.eawas shot close to him, and I tear cannot live.
if, as
_ poor friend STUART, of the 9th, died two
days after the battle at Molissa, universally lamented.
I have not time to -write any more particulars ;
atn very much fatigued, having been yesterday,till
past five P. m. collecting the wounded Eoglish and
.Icrench, and Concluding them to a place of sated..:--
I am very happy to tell you none of our Staff ‘iie're
killed. I wish we had adVanced to-day, and follbW
•
ed up our victory, without giving the enemy time to
rally from a cheek they are so little used to."

The following enumeration of the dignities, char-
ges, and employments accumulated in the person of
the PRINCE OF PEACE, the late all-powerful
Mini-
ster of Spain, is extraded from the Treaty of Alli-
ance Concluded in 1795 between him and Mr.
11I"CKN€Y, as Plenipotentiaries on behalf of Spain t
and the United States of America ;—" Dot MA-,
I."ll''L DEGODOY, y Alvarez De Faria, Rios Sanchez,
y Zarfosa, Prince of the Peace, Duke of Alcedia;
Lord of the Sole, De Roma, and of the State of Al-
oal, a,Grandee of Spain of the First Class, Knight of
the Illustrious 'Order of the Golden Fleece, and
Great Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order
of Charles the .3d, Commaeder of Valencia del Ven-
toso, Ribera; and Acenchalan, of St. Jago, Knight
and Grand Cross of the Religious Order of St. John;
Councillor of State, First Secretary of State and of
the Dispa;ch,es, Secretary • of the. Queen, Superin-
tendaut-General of the Posts and Highways, Pro-
teaor of the Royal Academy, of the Belles-Lettres,
and of the Royal Societies of Natural History, Bo-
tany,
and Astronomy, Gentleman in Ordinary of
ttie King's Chamber, and Captain-General of his
:Armies, InspeCtor and Major of the Royal Corps of
I,9cty Guards„ &c. &c." And, in addition to the
"oregoing, he was, about twoyearsago,invested with
the dignity of Admiral-General of the Kingdom.
A Spanish Gentleman reached London yesterday,
who had been conveyed from Bremen to Heligdlande
from whence he was sent to England. He left
ambro' on the Lath August, at which time the
people•of that city had received no letters from Spain
or Portugal for upwards of three months. This cir-
cumstance was considered very extraordinary, and
naturally created much suspicion ; but the rec.:int
affairs of Spain, even the fa& of the capture of:friel
French Fleet,. had been kept in profound secrecy.
On his way towards Bremen, he witnessed the
march of many thousands of troops towards Holstein,
for the purpose of assisting to quell the disturbances
Which had • broken out there among the Spaniards.
At Rhensburgh (he had been informed) BERNA-
PorrE, .haranguing.the Spanish troops who were in
that town, reflected too poiniedly on what he called
their disaffeelion, on which a Spanish Otlieer drew
a poniard from under his cloak, and buried it in4kt;
hart of the insulting Frenchman. Without -vOtibh-
ing the truth of this intiwniation, we deem it our
duty to lay it before the Public as we received it:.
edii4 Royal Highness the Duke of CUMBERLAND
tOWII yesterday for Witilsor, •on a visit to their

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