The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-12-08

ce6o 10 Loreto but TINS plan w as to be e.ss,,s-
ted only in case the enemy should be met w1sA
at the gates.
At small distance from the kilns on the road
of Miaihada, met detachment of the cnsmy TO
the left of this city, and commencing fire
extended the cavalry to the kilns, and fort,,-
nately cut off all communication with Coimbra.--
The enemy's detachment surrendered after ha-
wing lost some men; and not meeting with any
other OF the enemy's troops by the principal
ROADS. and after crossing the bridge of Monde
go to follow the Lisbon road in order to inter-
cept all communication with the army, which
was performed with the greatest spirit and gall
an,ry by lieutenant Dontei, with the loss Of ON.
ly one dr. COON who was killed
ordered the divisions Of infantry tn march "a
the principal places in the city where we were.
| restsed about an hour, in which time we b,,i
only two men killed, and twenty FIVE men
wounded, among whom is colonel Serpe IF tI~
regiment OF Penafiel This col commande+t
the first brigade, the conduct of which Is ,yor-
tiny ct your excellency's appreciation. The prin-
opal force of the enemy which was stationed ;,,
Santa Clara, on the side Of the Mondepo. man.
| t"'ned for some time an irregular fire upon orr
cavalry when i, PASSED the bridge but the Frencf,
officer who commanded there rs soon as he az:
s-'ved that lieutenant Dontel had crossed IL,
pr'dge proposed cap,ulaion had then
| advanced as Tar as the convent, and would adrojt
OF no other proposition than that of s,rrender;,s
| at discretion, promising thens no wever my pro
tSSH'h IRON tEe insults OF the pSaSauks 'Tbe
troops laid down their arms and retired
have reason tn believe that the number OF
prisoners exceeds FIVE Thousand, of which fur
1iousand are on their march to Oporto includ;py.
al entire company of the marine guards of the
emperor. three thousand FIVE hundred musket.
were taken, and almost ali of them &ere loaded.
by which Judgment NAV be formed of the
soldiers who were in condition for defensiyss
service
have caused these arms to be distributed a.
mong the country militia. We found no artiile,.
ny, but we seized aquantity of oxen and sheen.
which the enemy had collected for the subsis.
tence OF their troops, & which is, great scu,,is;
ton to ours 1t is supposed that there are eignty
ohcers among the prisoners The chief COM
missary. Mr. F!andin, who acted as povernor
will remain at Coimbrs, being sick From TIM.
nature OF Tue attack, your excellency will easily
CONCEIVE how difficult it was to oblige the SOL
ders and armed peasartry, not to plumber the pr.
soasrs, ans ara sorry to say the peasants COM
m"ted some acts of violence but Judge thar
from ouO to 500 Frenci,men only were victim.
20 then resentment. / must observe that no.
tning can exceed the state of misery in which,
l iound tp's c,'y"Fhe enemy not content
with having sacked II throughout, and plundeys,
ig 1t Of every valuable that could be found nd
set on tlrc some houses and piled up in the streets
III the grea st disorder, all the provisions which
'hey could mot take with them /; for which req
son 1t cOuu not he expected that near eight hun-
'oiu'cts =, natives CI tllS city and ITS ne;p-h-
borh11', accompanied by their miserable relatives
and scqusintances could be patient witnessess
II scene OF devastation, IN which their propsrx
Il had been destroyed III a manner so unjust and
,c"nd .lous notwithstanding beg your excel
iehcy To be persuaded that every possible effort
was used to project the French who fell in our
power, md after the first moments succeeded i'm
securing them from insult.
AS the corps of brigadier general Mile ana
OF colonel Wilson arrived here in the morning.
propose to leave one of my brigades, and march
with the rest OF my division, as an escort, to o.
porto for to such degree has the an;rnositv ne
the country people been excited by the last
passage of the French army, that consider rnv
presence absolutely necessary, and particuIarly.
"a the districts between the MondeEo and the.
Vouga
l shall close this account by assuring vour
excelency, that the bravery of the troops on dis
occasion deserved the highest credit; Il beipr.
impossible for me to euiogize any Individual
when all highly distinguished the nselves.
have the honor to be, &c.
NICHOLAS TRANT.
HE EsceAency MARI
shat Seresford