granted to the superior officers, both for the capture of that island and also of Martinique. The medal was like that for Talavera, already described at page 67. When the War Medal was issused, bars were inscribed with the names of these two islands.

BATTLE OF BUSACO.

SEPTEMBER 27TH., 1810.

THE advance of Marshal Massena in the summer of 1810, was preceded by the proud but vain boast, that, in pursuance of the imperial orders, he would drive the English leopards into the sea, and plant the eagles on the tower of Lisbon. His first operations were attended with success. Ciudad Rodrigo surrendered to Marshal Ney on the 10th. of July. After the gallant but hazardous combat between the light division and the French advance on the 24th. of that month, they passed the Coa in overwhelming numbers, when the retrograde movement and concentration of the allies behind the Mondego immediately commenced. Almeida having surrendered on the 27th. of August, the allies were again withdrawn to their former positions. The French line of invasion was not finally indicated until the middle of September, when they commenced their advance into Portugal along the right bank of the Mondego. Lieutenant-General Viscount Wellington, notwithstanding their vastly superior numbers, determined to give them battle in the position of Busaco, a lofty and rugged sierra or mountain ridge, extending about eight miles in a northerly direction from the Mondego, and crossing their line of march.

On the night of the 26th. of September, the combined British and Portuguese armies assembled in line on the precipitous sierra, named after the village and convent of Busaco. The second (Lieutenant-General Hill's) division occupied the extreme right, guarding the declivities towards the Mondego; next to it the fifth (Major-General Leith's) division; then the third division, having the first (Lieutenant-General Sir Brent Spencer's) division on its left, occupying the highest part of the ridge; then the light (Brigadier-General Craufurd's)

division at the convent of Busaco; and the fourth (the Honourable Major-General Cole's) division on the extreme left. In front, within cannon-shot and in full view of the British position, was assembled Massena's army, seventy thousand strong, occupying the opposite range of mountains. The day passed over peaceably, but during the evening and night, small parties of skirmishers, passing up the dark ravines, attempted to establish themselves close to the British line, and kept all upon the alert.

The position of Busaco, although formidable from the steepness and rugged character of its face, was too extensive to be completely occupied by the twenty-five thousand British, and the same number of Portuguese troops, which formed the allied army, and there was an interval of about two miles between the left of the fifth and the right of the third division, which occupied the lowest and most accessible part of the position.

An hour before day, Lord Wellington went through the ranks on foot. He passed in comparative silence, for the English soldiers seldom indulge in those boisterous demonstrations of joy so common with the troops of other nations, and indeed rarely are known to hurrah, except when closing with the enemy; but wherever he was recognised, his presence was felt as the sure presage to another victory, to be gained by the men whom he had already led in so many fields of triumph. To be beaten when he commanded, seemed, in the opinion of his soldiers (which is no bad criterion to judge by) next to impossible.

At six in the morning of the 27th. of September, two desperate attacks were commenced upon the British position, the one on the right, the other on the left of the highest point of the sierra. The assault upon the right was made by two divisions of the second corps, on that part of the sierra occupied by the third division of infantry. One division of French infantry arrived at the top of the ridge, when it was attacked in the most gallant manner, by the 88th. Connaught Rangers, under the Honourable Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace, and the 45th., under the Honourable LieutenantColonel Meade, and by the 8th. Portuguese regiment, under

directed by These three

the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas, Major-General (afterwards Sir Thomas) Picton. corps advanced with the bayonet, and drove the enemy's division from the advantageous ground it had obtained. The other division of the second corps attacked further on the right, by the road leading by St. Antonio di Cantaro, also in front of Major-General Picton's division; but was repulsed before it could reach the top of the ridge, by the 74th. Highlanders, under the command of the Honourable Lieutenant-Colonel French, and the brigade of Portuguese infantry, under Colonel Champelmond, directed by Colonel Henry Mac Kinnon; Major-General Leith also moved his left to support Major-General Picton, and aided in the defeat of the French in this post, by the third battalion of the Royals, and the first and second battalions of the 38th. regiment.

His Lordship stated in his despatch, that he never witnessed a more gallant attack than that made by the 38th., 45th., and 8th. Portuguese regiment, on the enemy's division, which had reached the ridge of the sierra. Major William Smith, of the 45th., was killed.

Meanwhile, on the left, the enemy attacked with three divisions of infantry, of the sixth corps, that part of the sierra occupied by the left division, commanded by BrigadierGeneral Craufurd, and by the brigade of Portuguese infantry, under Brigadier-General (afterwards Sir Denis) Pack. "One division of infantry," wrote Viscount Wellington, "only made any progress towards the top of the hill, and they were immediately charged with the bayonet by Brigadier-General Craufurd with the 43rd., 52nd.,* and 95th. regiments, and the 3rd. Caçadores, and driven down with immense loss."

* "Several prisoners were taken by the regiment, and amongst others the French General Simon. He surrendered himself to Private James Hopkins, of Captain Robert Campbell's company, who receives a pension of twenty pounds per annum, as the reward of his bravery on this occasion. Private Harris, of the 52nd., also shared in the capture, and a pension was awarded to him in 1843, by the late Viscount Hardinge, then the Secretary at War, on the representation of Lieutenant-General Sir J. F. Love, who was present at the capture of General Simon, and who delivered him as a prisoner to Brigadier-General Craufurd.”—Historical Record of the 52nd. Light Infantry, by Captain Moorsom.

Captain Moorsom also relates the following medal incident:-"When the head of Simon's column appeared in the act of deploying, and the 52nd. advanced to charge, Captain William Jones, more commonly known

Besides these attacks, the light troops of the two armies were engaged throughout the 27th. The loss sustained by the enemy was immense, two thousand being killed upon the field of battle, with a corresponding amount of wounded. Captain Lord Fitz Roy Somerset, (the late Lord Raglan,) Aide-de-Camp to the British Commander; Captain the Marquis of Tweeddale, of the 1st. Foot Guards, Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-General; Major Charles Napier, of the first battalion 50th., (severely;) and Captain George Napier, of the first battalion 52nd., were amongst the wounded. The total British casualties amounted to five officers, five sergeants, and ninety-seven rank and file killed; thirty-five officers, (including eight field officers,) twenty-one sergeants, three drummers, and four hundred and thirty-four rank and file wounded.

BUSACO on the colours of the 1st., 5th., 9th., 38th., 43rd., 45th., 52nd., 74th., 83rd., 88th., and Rifle Brigade, commemorates this achievement.

There is a charming episode related by Sir William Napier, of the orphan girl, which belongs to this battle: "Meanwhile an affecting incident, contrasting strongly with the savage character of the preceding events, added to the interest of the day. A poor orphan Portuguese girl, about seventeen years of age, and very handsome, was seen coming down the mountain, and driving an ass loaded with all her property, through the midst of the French army. She had abandoned her dwelling in obedience to the proclamation, and now passed over the field of battle with a childish simplicity, totally unconscious of her perilous situation, and scarcely understanding which were the hostile and which the friendly troops, for no man on either side was so brutal as to molest her."

On the following day there was some skirmishing on different points of the line, but the French, taught by experience to appreciate the strength of the position and the valour of its defenders, did not renew the assault. Towards evening their

in the division by the name of 'Jack Jones,' a fiery Welshman, rushed upon the Chef de Bataillon, who was in the act of giving the word to his men, and killed him on the spot with a blow of his sword. Jones immediately cut off the medal with which the major was decorated, and appropriated it to himself."

columns were seen in movement to their right, and their whole army was shortly on the march to turn the British left flank.

The allies then commenced their retreat, and before daylight on the 29th., the position of Busaco was evacuated, the divisions moving on their previously-arranged lines of retreat towards the lines of Torres Vedras. This stupendous line of entrenchments and fortifications, had, by Viscount Wellington's orders, been constructed, with admirable skill and immense labour, for the defence of Lisbon. The French general, who had followed the retreat through a wasted and deserted country, with the confident expectation that he was driving the British to their ships, found his progress arrested on the 10th. of October by this barrier, which he soon perceived to be impregnable, and which extended twenty-nine miles from the Tagus to the sea. Within the lines, supplies were abundant, and with the exception of some employment in strengthening the defensive works, amusements, exercises, and field sports of every attainable kind were the occupation of all ranks, who engaged in them as if no hostile interruption was to be apprehended. The allied army was at this time augmented by fresh regiments from England, and a sixth division of infantry added to it.

BATTLE OF BARROSA.

5TH. MARCH, 1811.

WELLINGTON's generals, like those under the illustrious Marlborough, did not often have the opportunity of fighting independent battles. What Wynendale was to Webb in Queen Anne's reign, Almaraz was to Lord Hill, Albuhera to Lord Beresford, and Barrosa to Lieutenant-General Thomas Graham, (afterwards Lord Lynedoch,) who commanded the British forces in Cadiz at the above period. In consequence of Marshal Soult having proceeded into Estremadura, Marshal Victor was left to carry on the siege of Cadiz, and a combined attack on the rear of the blockading army at Chiclana was determined upon. Accordingly a British force of about three thousand men, under Lieutenant-General Graham, and a body