Star.
London, England, 1808-12-15 00:00:00

move forw;rd tchittack .
us ?—I dO recollect that
Arthur Wellesley ; and al
',mumble opportunity might
John Moore, who could" -
days.
Q. Do To" recollect
card the difficulty that
the army with provisions,
much increased, without
of means ?—A. I do 4
- Q. Do you recollect my
lity.that if the enemy should.take advantageof the de
ing their position in such ,
the difficulties of drawing
roads, we should find it al
them I do remember

only mentioned the narrc
country, but the badness
Q. Do you.recollect •
sions of General Fane

fore the ‘batde, or immediately
silent, with orders ?—A. '
to ride as fast as I could
Fane, and convey hit
move from the position
of the village of Vimiera
On my arrival at that -
Fane had advanced a

engaged with some of .
delivered the orders, and he coasiapeidy ratiied.
Q. Can you state the-reason that I got for 64
orders ?—A. I understand that those orders aros
'from the nature of the ground in bent, addle ,soy
iender .it ineligible to move further. He
observed that he saw a large bgidyysz
rend, . •
• • for a vigorous attack:yea. •
tiore.
li . Do * remember my
Inning
is fit
• Burnud to continue the ptomdterila
•••A. Yee, umperretrely after we Wid Mod
'`lleitt coati= of the French array, ellidt son '
lag precipitately, Sir Arthur Wellesley code up to
:sir H. and said, " sir Harry, now air
time o • aware "too the y, they *are eeiejileti it*
old or mask to Litho lateen Icy ; a large ia,
troak &ger am ix, listh e mai*, s ; let u I move ttearjoisek
rirho, 41- the rod to Torras Pedro:, own willow tie
away **hairs Wt." Sir Harry replied, that le**
a graa deal had been done, .very much to the risk
of the troops, that he did not think it advisable to
do mote, or_q_nit the ground in'pnrsuit affluently.
Sir Arthur Welledey (*saved at the time, that
troops were perfectly ready to advance, haarincolc
visions ready cooked in, their haversacks,
to the order of the receding day.
. g..' Do .you recollect my mentioning that tee
warnterelve days bread for the army at. Vitali:4l4
pinny of ammunition I A. Ide not renembetke
mentioning twelve days, but I know you maenad
that there was plenty of provisions and stwassition.
Q.. Were • not orders given on the 20th fir tts
march of the troops next day ? A. They Wert. '
Sir ARTHUR WILLI:ILLY then read to the Goat a
written statement of his reasons why the army ogle
to advance. He considered that the mamma,
..ciently 4stroag to beat the enemy, and he always eta •
sidered Lisboa as the grand of de cambial'
ott:.lxoth skies— -Hale' • -Tehn ifoortkitieen
to go to• Sastander, to cut o the retsina iseantal
to the north, and from plans of the enemy's roma
which afterwards fell into possession of Iltitia
anay, it Was evident that they had meditated a re•
treat in that direction. He had calculated that rte
a battle the enemy would have been so much bans;
that Sir John Moose's division would have bet a
Ifull match for them, especially wiles other dieidots
of his army were followitg them up. .0140 Rib I
when he proposed marching hluditinel
of from sixteen thousand to such tbmisiille,
tish troops in high order and spirits, sad weilvisip
ped, and he had reason to doubt of die issue ds
battle with the enemy. On the 21st be did all the
he could to prevail upon Sir Harry Burrard walks
the army to follow up the advantages it had geed
As to the armistice which he had approved of, it ii/
no means followed, that that which would not best
been right on the morning of the 21st might ant te
right on the evening of the 22d. On the 81st tlt
enemy were in the utmost confusion. On the lli
, they were no longer in that state. The situation ti
the French army had been much improved in cc*
quence of the British army not having followed •
its advantages. There was no longer any chance d
preventing them from• crossing the Tagus, if thetbd
been so disposed.
[Sir Assns WittstatXt Eta fined by Sir HO
BURR/MD.I
__ Q. Walt not there the same facility of advancer
Mafra on thead that there was on the marl
21st, when Sir A. Wellesley had rem
IS
.* army should advance I A. Thum iv., 040
the same facility, but there was so longer de.
ohjeet, as there no longer remained a chance Ant
ing the French to another action. They led_!:
thek strength in the field, and failed, and OM
had adrancedi upon the 23d, the French Isiii. viii,
fought no More battles, but would have cotello"
retreat.
Sir H. BURRARD then read another written a*
ment. Is the first place he did not suppose the
enemy had their whole force in the field ; sad
confessed lie did not know that such a considers!
body of them had been separated from o the :::
army. He thought the Brush line was t
extended, and that an advance was inealiTl:::
Other Olken of great experience had coincided:
his opinioa. - ,He, however, knew that he was toF
responsible for his determination, and assated P
Court that if he was wrong, it was merely from o
error in judgment.
Sir A. Wisziestxt said, that however widell'sl
differed then and now from Sir Harry Burred
the
_prep_riety of advancing, he was convinced
; Sir Kam was actuated by no unworthy smock
, that if he was so doing, it eras merely fl Ma.. , ..*-
1. in judgment. • .
......Ados
1 • Sir- Haw Dastrnisent then pat, some q •,rbicb
1 Sir Harry &mud, respectisquthe aar'olls_?:!,,ral
1 the tithes Lieutenant;Gallords gave taZ 15;iild
plia of dm Convention, that the Fr
I,e Pankitted to evacuate Portge' by sea, oaTrws
With than their arms and lig.e.
i Sir H. Dumas) acimoidged that tits P696#•
eaaillmii geoesally speed to.
Sir Haw DAtamitas tiles fad * short• viat• dill.

•
the tistemYs they wotla
:hat observation made it
&also, that he thOugat I, a
night be lost by waitaihrt,
Ad not be expected for INZ
1
t my stating to Sir /tarry
t there would be in
ins, when its number
out any proportionate its -
perfectly .recollect it. a
ct_ my also :stating the pot
should not attack us they svi
delay of 'Our army, by 11
Leh a manner, that, cossid4 a
tying, cannon on such rig
it almost impossible to II
number this ; and that pall
Larrowness of the role
2ess of them.
:t my sending you to the i
e and General ?kastrutba •
mmediately on its c. : . .
A. Sir A. Wellesley desired •
uld to Generals Anstrather •
is orders that they should 11
xi which they occupied in ,
niera without fun* direct* sal t position, I found that Cacti to
L "little way in front, tad w sbe
)f the enemy'slittt troops, 1
erui is. - • •