The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-10-27 00:00:00

17" "...TIN,— —Now

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POIt7'UGUES, ACCi,UAT OP THE BAT-

i'LE Ole BUSACO.

I.ETTER ert•)M THE C PHsIANIER, IN CPIEF OP THE
P4)14 1 (,(;ESE ARMY TO I) iN MIGUEL PEREIRA

YOUJ IZ.

ned 'Host Exc,llent Senor,-1
brvi• the gnat sat'sf.o.timi annouoriog to your
Excr leur• for the in,orniation of hi R. yal High-
•cs, tit the ahi.•.l army, ui. 'or th, c..minand of
his Etre iltney 'Marshal General Lord Viscount
W4llllOOO, has ./efented the enemy's army under
tio• cu...iisi.d of olarshalMassena, in au. attempt
Actlicii it P.ailea,:a ost our position on the heights of
I•is Excellt•tiev he Marshal General
Acill tr . you, in order it, !resubmitted to his
itoysil II Jiness. all the details of th • movements
awl disoosition, led to this brilliant victory,
couline loyst•lf to what relates to the parti-
cular troops of his It la' Highness, who covered
ti.eliselv..s with glory, and shewed theuiselves
worthy emu atirs of their compatiLms in arms of
th Engli•ii army, and nor by inheritors of the
glory of their ancestors.

The enemy having, on the 25th, pulled forward
ids advanced posts to the lower part of our position
on the mountain, he estald:shed himself there, and
*luring th.• 261 h concentrated the whole foice of the
tlo,e corps of his army. At six o'clock in the
orning of the 27th, he attacked our position with
• rwig columns at two different points, and a lire
maintained with great vigour for about two
• . .rs and a half. The Portuguese troops who dis.

riguis!aed themselves were all those who had the
g.:• . fortune to be at the points of attack, and con-
bisted of the following corps :
Th-• irigade of the 9th and 21st, under the orders
of Col. Champalimatid; and after that officer was
w inittlett, under Lieutenatit-Colonel Sutton. The
8111 ,t7gh; cut, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
Douglas. The briaatle of the Ist and 16th of the
4to b ,ttaii in of Cacadores, tinder the cum.
mead of B.h.:adii raG:neral Pack. The brigade of
the 7th and 19th, and .:he Cacadures, No. 2, undta.
Colman. The battalions of Cue-
dores. Nos. 1 a tdJ, with the English light division,
acd Cie 6111 bataalion of that brigade, coalman led
by Bria:td.er-Graeral Campaall. Two brigades of
artWerj, triiiei the immediate command of Major
A riauschild, and ; wo of the 3d division, which acre •
pos.. d more to the lel t.
Tht only dillerence in the conduct of these troops
cainsistial it: the opportunities which afforded the
ditrerent corps occasioas tor distinguishing them.
6. !yes. 'ries may be called a glorious day for the
Portugi—se name, our troops having, by their be.
haviour, obtained the :admiration and full caddidetice
of tic irmy. The conduct of the Bth re.
giment, uniter the command of Lieut.-Colonel Dou.
glas, and in which Major Fl.rminghain distinguished
hit sell, secured to it the glory, along with two
Eng'isti regiments, of dislodging the enemy from the
which he had gained, making him pay
dearly for his momentary advantage. The 9th and
21st regimtu have merited the complete approba-
tion of lajor-Geileral Picton and Colonel Chain-
palimaud ; Licuteniiit-Colonel Sutton and Lieute.
nant.Colonel Jose Maria de Aranjo Bacellar, who
coitinianded the 21st regiment, deserve the highest
praise.
Aly thanks are due to Brigadier-General Pack,
as well as to the corps which were under his orders,
and a'so to the Commanders of those corps, Lieu.
tenants-Colonel Hill and Lnyz do Rego, and Ma.
jot Armstrong. The conduct of the battalion of
Cacadures, N. 4, deserves to be particularly men-
tioned, both for its courage in the attack, and for
the firmness with which it supported, during the
whole day, the fire of the enemy. The battalion
of Cacadures, No. 1, commanded by Licut.-Col.
Jorge d'A %aka, conducted itself extremely well,
and that Officer merits my highest commendations.
The battalion No. 3, under the command of Lieut.-
Col. Elder, particularly distinguished itself, and
having to the reputation of discipline added that of
valour, it is impossible that there can be any bet-
ter troOps than those' which compose this liana-
bon. brigade of Brigadier-General Colman,
cousistieg of Le 17th and 19th, and the Cacadures,
No. 2, merited also every eulogium ; and equal praise
is du, to the Commanders of these corps, Culs.
and J ise Cardoso de Menece, Statomair,
and Lielit. Cobniel Nixon. Five companies of the
19 Ii
regiment, under the iminciliat,i command of
Delft-Colonel Macbean, made a charge with the
bayonet on the corny which is particularly men.
tivaed by ali the Officers of both armies who saw it,
as an act of most perfect gallantry, both on ac.
count of the t:iseiplitie and the courage which the
troops display,..l. The battalion of Cacadures,
No. 6, belonging to General Caa-phelPs brigade,
and commanded by Lieut.-C.loncl Sebas,ian Pinto,
b...have.l also very well, and deserve my thanks.
The two bri..ades of artillery of the 9th and
6th, under the personal orders of Major Areuts.
child, breatly distinguished themselves ; tioy sup.
r.rted, with much firmness, during the whole bat.
tle, the tire of foe I teen pieces of artillery, killed a
gr at ondiber of the enemy, dismounted three of
his gum., and made two of his ammunition waggons
blow up. Time other two brigades merit equal ap.
prohatioo.
All the officers and soldiers of these corps
have acts d so as to render it my duty to con.'
vcy to his Royal highness An account of their
good and excellent conduct, which would have
alone honour to the most veteran troops, for,
by the avowal of all the English Officers, they
displayed equal discipline and valour. With re.
6pect to the troops nut engaged, I observed in
than the most anxious desire to 44. tat. k the enemy,
and, according to n 1 pe trances, they will soon have
tint opportunity they wish for. With such gal.
laittry as the Portuguese troops displayed in the
battle of Bosaco, ailed by the known valour of
the Faijsli army, it is impossible not to anticipate
a favourable result to orr present contest, and not
to be convinced that the enemy will soon dearly
pay I r the devastation and crux ties which lie has
committed itt Portugal.
I cannot refrain from scizina this opportunity to
arlitioa ledge the impor.tnt services which 1 have
r rrir d, vvery occasion, from the talents and
v. . •ne Quarter.Nlaster-General of the Army,
ly (Jr bait i j have every reason to be satis.