The Sun.
London, England, 1832-09-25 00:00:00

through the Indian corn grounds and underwood
which skirt the distant side of the Serra. Through these
the enemy advanced in great numbers, and with more
gallantry than was expected of him, up to the trenches of
the convent, which he endeavoured to pass, but without
success in any one instance. His efforts were assisted by
the continued fire of his three pieces of artillery, but their
weight was not sufficient to do any damage to the stow
buildings they played on, while the guns of the Serra,
being of superior metal, swept the roads in grand styli,
and prevented any attempt to form a large body upon
them. All this time, the houses of Villa Nova and
streets were occupied by the cagadores, who, with Brea'
vigour, but with very little good effect, kept up a di,
charge of musketry on the men who showed over the breast-
work of the convent wall. This was returned with hearty
good will ; and wherever the head of one of those sharp-
shooters was perceived, a score of pieces were simulta-
neously directed against it. At 12 o'clock, a field of
furze and brush-wood, at the convent side, was set on fire,
and the large column of smoke which rose from it added
to the effect of the field of combat ; and those who viewed
the contest from this aide were induced to believe that the
operations were of a more formidable nature than they
really were.
In this manner the firing continued for three hours,
without producing to either side any visible inconvenience.
The troops at Serra and the National Guard behaved
with great firmness, and their conduct was frequently ap-
plauded from our side of the river. The enemy also stood
to his points with resolution ; but as both parties were,
for the most part, under cover, their game was not put
to the test, and the loss being inconsiderable to each, no
man's heart was tried by seeing his comrades drop around
him. I cannot understand what Don Miguel's officers
proposed to themselves by attacking the Serra only from
the pine woods and houses of Villa Nova, as if they fought
in that manner for a week it could not be carried. I
expected every moment to see columns formed, and the
hill assaulted by an enemy so superior in number to the
garrison ; but, except in one instance, there was no dash
made in the open ground, and even the most resolute ap-
proach at the off side of the Serra, which I spoke of, was
done under the cover of pine grozes and gardens. The
instance which I except was made by a Colonel of Militia,
and about 50 men. Perceiving that the rear of the Con-
vent was defended only by a few National Guards, this
officer led his force through the woods and up the hill
side until he came to a stripe of open ground, from which
the timber had been purposely removed. He left the balk
of his party in the wood, and dashed forward with about
fifty men, taking the volunteers by surprise and driving
them up to the convent gates. He was very nearly suc-
cessful, but the National Guard rallied under the walls
of the building, and finding the enemy close upon them,
rushed out at the point of the bayonet, and in an instant
turned and overthrew them. It was a very gallant little
affair on both sides, and the volunteers, a raw levy who
never saw fire before, covered themselves with honour, and
received a burst of applause from their friends on our side
of the river, who witnessed the whole transaction. The
Colonel of the Miguelites was killed, and several of his
men shared the same fate, and those lodged in the wood
were impeded in their retreat by the French brigade, who
seeing how matters went from the Seminario (the place
where the Duke of Wellington crossed), opened two nine-
pounders and a fire of musketry upon them, which soon
cleared the woods, and preserved the rear of the Serra from
any further annoyance.
I should not forget to mention that the Acore schooner,
with two guns, assisted from the river to clear the streets
of Villa Nova, and her fire was very useful in dislodging
those who had taken refuge in the houses on the shore.
The enemy attempted to silence her, but in a very lame
manner, and the greater part of their bullets fell into the
water, as they were afraid to show themselves and take
deliberate aim.
During the whole of these operations the inhabitants of
Oporto were not the least alarmed. The situation of this
city resembles much that of Clifton, and the course of the
river may be compared to the Avon, with the exception
that the Serra is the only high ground which rises home-
' diately from the Douro upon the opposite side. We,
therefore, from the upper streets of Oporto, saw all that
was done, in comparative security, and the only suffer-
ers, and those but partially, were those whose houses were
on the wall, as the quay which borders the river is called.
Finding, at three o'clock, that the attack on the Serra
was repulsed at every point, and that the enemy's fire was
nearly abated, I went round the whole of the lines at this
bide, to see what mischief was meditated against them. I
found Don Pedro's soldiers under arms, expecting as at-
tack on all the roads leading to the town, and the Em.
peror himself directing the guns at the battery of the
Congregados against a small body of Miguelites, who
manoeuvred near it. At that point a dropping fire was
kept up during the night, but it was evident that nothine
serious was intended on the north of the Douro for that
day. - A slight attack was also made on the Volonga road,
from whence the British had been withdrawn for a short
time, but a part of the 18th, who replaced them, checked
it in an instant. The enemy retired on every side at the
approach of dark, and, except a few shots which Were fired
from the Serra, the night passed off without any warlike
intimations, and the inhabitants of Oporto slept in security.
On Sunday morning Captain Rose, the Commander of
the fort, finding that the enemy held possession of the
houses of Villa Nova, from whence they occasionally an-
noyed the Serra and the Afore schooner, brought up the
river the brig Amelia, whose broadside lie planted against
the principal streets, and soon dislodged the guerillas, who
occupied the wine-stores. In performing this duty some
damage was necessarily done to the valuable property con-
tained in those stores—and, if it should be needful to con-
tinue the cannonade against them, I fear that our mer-
chants will be serious sufferers. I am told those " lodges,"
as they are called,!contain 80,000 pipes of wine and brandy,
30,000 of which are British—so that you may easily ima-
gine how anxious the owners must be to see, on the one
hand, an enemy in possession of their property, and on the
other, the batteries of Dm Pedro and his ships directing
their cannon against the place where it is deposited.
Hitherto the damage has been inconsiderable, and I sin-
cerely hope that the honourable and hospitable merchants
of this city will not be sufferers by a contest in which they
take no part, though there is no mistaking the sentiments
by which they are in general actuated. Captain Rose also
placed the Mittclella brig-of-war so as to command the
roads leading to the river's mouth and the bar, and any
attempt to cut off the small castle of St. Joao de Foz wil
thereby be prevented.

The greater part of Sunday was consumed by idle de-
monstrations of the enemy on the several roads o❑ this
side of the Douro, but in no one instance was any thing
like a formidable attack persevered in. The British corps
were engaged for a short time with a body which they en-
trapped within three hundred yards of their advanced
posts, and which they overthrew in their usual gallant
style; but the severest fighting was o❑ the left of the
centre line, where the enemy gained a small advantage,
and took possession of a height near the Serra. I saw,
from the battery of the Congregados, the manner in which
this attack Wa3 repelled, and the mount regained, by a part
of the 18th regiment of the National Gourd, and I must
say it was done in a lively manner; and, if the troops of
Don Pedro fight generally as well as they did in this in-
stance, they may be depended on, and the inhabitants o!
Oporto may feel a reasonable confidence in their security.
It was about 6 o'clock when the enemy retired from these
demonstrations, and the night commenced and passed over
in quiet, it being generally believed that the several move-
ments were only made for the purpose of reconnoitring,
and that the real attack would take place on Monday or
Tuesday. I refer you to the official account for the killed
and wounded, as I have no means of ascertaining what
they were, and I wish to confine nay letters to the things
which I see, and can judge of in person. Before I con-
clude this, I must observe that I use the terms " ours" and
the "enemy" to avoid repetitions, and for facility in
writing, and that I do not identify myself with either
cause. lam altogether neutral, and do hope to continue
so until my unpleasant task here is accomplished.

Monday Evening.
This day passed over quietly, and it is imagined
that Don Miguel's Generals are giving their men a rest and
refreshment, before they commence their proposed attack
on the city. We have had authentic accounts this even-
ing from within their lines, and find that Jaspar Teixara
and Sir John Campbell have their head-quarters but two
miles from us, at a village on the Braga road. There is
no doubt of the presence of Sir John Campbell, or of the
command which be holds, and I understand that Teixara
makes a great boast of the gallant officer's assistance, and
wishes that all Englishmen were like him. The force of
Don Miguel in that quarter might be calculated at 6,000
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