The Sun.
London, England, 1810-10-19 00:00:00

BOTTLE OF BUZJCO.

We
have now before us some letters of the most
fin.,olte description, which enable us to add some
an,i"!l* Particulars respecting this brilliant affair,
li‘itist;ie-opelations of the contending armies pre-
wirY to t 27th of September.
Of p "°ever takes the trouble of refering to the Map
tt:lrt)rltlgal, will find that Mond-go li,ver Luis its
ti-",e7 In the mountains near Guarda ;—,tnat it first
tht; In a northerly direction as tar as Celerico, and
otarlh,tuPing suddenly to, the westward, continues
kin in that course to 'the sea. There are two
,4101 roadi, ptie to the north or right bank of
el'.- "I"dtgo, leading from F•ancoso to Vtzeu, and
Coimbra ; and the other road to the south
w! ich proceeds in a direct from
\`‘`,.t° to the -Ponte de 111.1cella.
tsr).,..,i'e" Lord Wellington first retired, 11,1assena
frotti the north to the south ..de of the
at a place called Furnos, nearly half way
'rte Lh
•Viten and •Celetico.—Thus both armies
on the south aide of the MOndeeo, and it ap-
tisttirei to he Ilirissena's intention to follow the
till, road, which the aired road from
to L ' tile ultimate übjeet ot Maasena's
tl!)tsr,.."°:lB Lord Wellington had intended to have
?%';'1(1 this ro.A. it the Porte de Marcella ; but
suddenly chauged his plan, re-crossed
tiie ht gO3 and threw hin serf oo the road leaditi. by
1- ba:.k of the Monjego, from Vizeu to
111it„th''ral, intending to get to Coimbra before the
isl44l'unti as 1,,,rd Wellington discovered this' move-
-41: fiC' atelydetermined to cover Coimbra,
tvl,4r thP purilose of permanently saing that city,
defe`,,,'' is an Open town, wh,cli cannot ibere:ore be
of 47, ed for any length ot,time, sod the pOStieSsioti
SIP C'l IS of no Cip+SeCintneo to the ultimate is-
tlf the cumpagn, but with a view to prceect
4114,. ra a sufficient length- of tune to enable tin.
k 'taws to retire and vt ithdraw titer effecis, a
1, 11 whit!' the Portuguese have so rigidly obsetv-
11l Pt at ret•!tiCO, hied is a consid-rable town,
11:th:41nli acliu.elly found but Iwo inttabiqint4, and
40.1ng but bare walls, This we.s'l.Le as a positive
the 14.),(1
%v li ngton, therefore, also moved across
and with s') much rapidity and stud,
41„s
s iPtl"Pitt,,ly- to interpose bet w-en Coimbra and
8,"1. From the relative situation ouf the armies„
Ntation. wan one of difficulty and 'boldness ;
1/4114s executed with extraordinary o.lerly and
ICtt't, and it pr!,!ect completely so.:cessfnl.'
Nill, ttie gust, overturn the
41,1 401 certAin persons regarding what they
44ssena's feint, Scc. The truth is, that in
411 hob " this most consornm,te ut
4,u,4lPiitt-'s Generals" attempted .between the
'Q!tcinil 27th or September, he was completely dt--
111)v It his 1-uject had been merely u feint to oc-
NiinGar attention, while he gained Oporto, thistle
tcti, o ea%IIY hat e done ; Ist, w ,(..out the trouble ot
I') the southward r.f the Mondego ; and 2d15,
1114 atler.vards re-crossing to the northward of
riSer and attempting o i.-rce t•n road over the
'll4 u't Buz ico. The truth we believe to be,
totbh:tu'ds disitess fiyr want of pr .visions which
t
ed him t' try an attar k, and born which
it but bruin the Allied Army could, or can,
eve •
Wh • •
hhi" Nlassena left Alawida he had 13 days'
Moos With him. Most of the prisoners taken
MI th etc ko1) e snka full of Indian corn unground,
t'mills tieing descroyeu ; each French soldier
ate eU
10 pound his own corn. It is true that
nvw *eheit have obtained meat ; but every one
%tittle% that bread is. indispensable to the 14:rench
44tl „t' and for this article they are nearly without
444: leaders will recollea, that on the 30th. of
tlltl t-rer Lord Wellington still occupied Coitnbra,
tp the tlntthkassena was at Alvelans, about 20 miles
ward of that city.
rile tete then is no proof of Massena's success. By
triers
„, to which we are referring, we are inform-
,(ltli,ll by the Ist Noveniner'the city of Cuimbra
be
entirely evacuated by its inhabitants, who
Ittlitt °aye had ample time to remote, with our
t;tlAce, all their
that
From the same source,
1114 n-h_nuerstand that Coiu.bra will be defended till
gbVt'aration is completed, and that then, and—not:
i.:3irts; the British army will fall back, probably to
,g
0r f°"ifie'd position near Toms' Vedras, about
51(t uo Miles front. Lisbon. Should Massena be
/fel force that no,ition, there are two more -Torii-
t.iiibtkes which he ballet take, before he can occupy
4,- °II.
''i 1-•
The first of these is near Bellas, and can
, d
c?r, Ib„ •
20 000 rien ; the second is nearer to
\l, 'mu can be netei,ded by half' (bat number.
, •
` vii,. aye said enotlgh, we think, to prove Lori
ItlSse'la
superhorny. over his opponelit.—ist,
ti
attempts' to move alo,ig the road to the

C.,"1

South of the Niondego, and in this attempt he is
roiled.

2dly, He throw* himself on the 'road to t: 'e
North; and endeavour, to get to Coimbra before us.
In this attempt lie is also foilrd. Here !hen are two
manoeuvres in which this " must cousummwe of
Generals" has al!ogether failed. •
idly, He attempts to force our position, and is
again defeated.

411)1v, He moves off silently in the dead of the
'night, with a view of turning our flank, and thus
compel us to give up Coimbra to him, before the
inhanitanis have time to remove their vvluables.—
In this endeavour he is also foiled ; for we still
occupy Coimbra, and the inhabitants will have time
to carry off every thing they may wish to remove.
And. now for a few words with respect toOpOrtu.
In the first place, the French ha'e not yet got that
city. In the second,, preparation is made in all the
Northern Provinces tor the\ destruction of mills,
prov.sions, &c. and the inhabitants are resolved and
prepared to withdraw to the •nountains. In the
third place there are at least 20,000 men to the
north of the Douro, under General Silveira, exciu-
sive of the ordenanza, or armed peasantry. Fourth-
ly, there is a Spanish army collecting very /rapidly
in Gallidia. Fifthly, the ordenanza, with two bri-
gades of Portuguese troops, under Colonels Miller
and Tram, are operating upon Massena's communi.
Lions. Sixthly, Lord Wellington, with an increas.
ing army, is in Massena's front.
Under all these circumstances, we confess that
we do not feel much apprehension for the fate of
the Northern Provinces. It is- possible that the
French may obtain some supp Les, but they cannot
maintain themselves long. The country does not
supply its own inhabitants ; and even Lord Wel-
lington is bbhged to deliVe great part of hiS sup-
plies through the shipping placed at his disposal.