ron, being ready to support any point where their aid might be required. The attack was made with great bravery and impetuosity, but was as gallantly met by the British. At first the light troops of the 50th regiment were driven in with great vigour, and 2,000 men, with loud cries and all the confidence of victory, were rushing upon that corps, which scarcely numbered 700 bayonets, when its gallant colonel (Walker), throwing part of his line back so as to form an obtuse oblique angle, received the enemy when within pistol-shot with so effective a discharge, both on his front and flank, and at the same time vigorously charging with the bayonet, that the column broke and fled in the utmost confusion. At the same moment Fane, after a desperate conflict, repulsed an attack on the village of Vimeira, and captured seven pieces of cannon; but while the few cavalry in this quarter were pursuing the retreating foe, Margaron's powerful squadrons assailed them and cut half of the feeble party to pieces. Kellermann, taking advantage of this check, threw part of his reserve into a pine wood which flanked the line of retreat, and sent the remainder to reinforce the divisions of Brennier and Solignac, who were maintaining a desperate conflict with Ferguson's brigade on the hills to the left, where the road to Lourinha traversed the steep heights to the north of Vimeira. Kellermann's attack from the pine wood was, after a desperate struggle, repulsed by the 43rd; and that on the left, after repeated discharges of musketry on both sides within pistol-shot, was repelled with levelled bayonets, and the enemy was driven headlong down the steep, with the loss of all his artillery. But Brennier's brigade still remaining undiminished, Junot determined to make an attempt to recover the fortune of the day. Forming that corps under cover of the neighbouring rocks and woods, he advanced with rapidity on the victors of the right and centre, who were lying on the ground after their success, and, being thus surprised, were momentarily driven back, and lost the guns which they had captured. Rallying, however, upon the heights in their rear, they returned to the charge, and attacking the enemy, not only recaptured their lost artillery, but drove the French down the hill in so headlong a manner, that Solignac and Brennier's brigades fled in different directions; and the whole brigade of the former would have been made prisoners, had not an order from Sir Harry Burrard (who had been present in the field during the engagement, but had declined receiving the command, or in any manner interfering with Sir Arthur Wellesley's dispositions till the enemy was repulsed) obliged General Ferguson to halt in the midst of his success. The broken French, astonished at the remiss conduct of the old English general, rallied and fell back to the heights on the opposite side of the valley, having lost 2,000 men in killed and wounded, 400 prisoners, thirteen cannon, and a large quantity of ammunition; while the loss of the victors, in killed and wounded, amounted to 800. Such was the victory of Vimeira— the prestige and forerunner of that series of decisive victories and splendid triumphs which placed the arms of Great Britain on the highest pinnacle of fame, and revived the remembrance of the glories of Crecy, Agincourt, Poictiers,-of Blenheim, Ramilies, Malplaquet; and that long list of triumphant conflicts which has imparted unfading renown on the prowess and might of the British soldier, when well-officered and commanded. The decisive success of the day had opened to the victors a passage to Lisbon, the broken columns of the enemy having been cut off from their retreat to the capital by the north-eastern direction, which they had taken in their disorderly flight. Of this advantage Sir Arthur determined to avail himself, and the troops were preparing to put his orders into execution, when Sir Harry Burrard, who had assumed the command, arrested them in their career of certain success by his ill-judged determination to desist from pursuit, and halt at all points. Never, in the annals of warfare, was a more injudicious measure resorted to. Had (as Sir Arthur proposed) Hill's brigade and the Portuguese, who, quite fresh and vigorous, having not fired a shot during the action, marched direct for the defile of Torres Vedras, while he himself followed up his victory by a general and rapid movement forward, the enemy, whose columns were intermingled in great confusion on the opposite heights to which they had retreated, would have been completely cut off from the capital. Junot, availing himself of his antagonist's error, by a forced and circuitous night march, regained the defile of Torres Vedras, from which he had been separated by the north-easterly direction he had taken in his flight, and secured his retreat to Lisbon. Sir Arthur, in the bitterness of his disappoint ment at seeing the glorious result which his talents had secured rifled from him by the ill-judged determination of his superior, turning to the officers of his staff, said, with an affected gaiety, "Gentlemen, we have nothing more to do than go and shoot red-legged partridges.” On the next day-namely, August 22ndSir Hew Dalrymple, arriving in a frigate from Gibraltar, landed at Maceira Bay, and superseded Sir Harry Burrard. Having consulted with Sir Arthur and Sir Harry, he determined to advance, on the 23rd, against the enemy, who was posted at Torres Vedras; but in the course of the 22nd, General Kellermann appeared with a flag of truce at the British outposts, with a proposal from Junot for a suspension of arms, with a view to the evacuation of Portugal by the French army. Among the terms proposed were, that the French army should be transported in English vessels to any of the ports between Rochefort and L'Orient, with its arms and baggage, and private property of every description; and, secondly, that the Russian fleet under Admiral Siniavin, then in the Tagus, should be considered as in a neutral harbour, and should not be pursued, when it left that harbour, without the gracetime or delay fixed by maritime law. The first condition was acceded to by all the English generals; but Sir Arthur Wellesley and Admiral Sir Charles Cotton, refusing to agree to the second one, a separate convention was subsequently concluded with the Russian admiral, by which it was stipulated that the Russian fleet should be conducted to England, and detained as a deposit till the conclusion of a general peace. On the 23rd the British army made a forward movement from Vimeira to Ramalhal, near Torres Vedras, but within the boundary stipulated by the terms of the armistice. phatically said-" Some mode must be devised to make the French generals disgorge the church plate which they have stolen." Junot endeavouring to procrastinate the completion of the convention, Colonel Murray was sent to him on the morning of the 27th, with instructions drawn up by Sir Arthur, to break off the negotiations. This decisive measure, in conjunction with the arrival of the army under Sir John Moore in Maceira Bay, brought matters to a crisis ; and, on the 29th, a draft of the proposed convention, signed by Kellermann, being brought to the British head-quarters, it was read, article by article, in the presence of Sir Hew Dalrymple, Sir Harry Burrard, Sir John Moore, generals Hope and Fraser, and Sir Arthur Wellesley, and the objections and proposed alterations minuted down by Sir Arthur; but that part of those objections and alterations made by himself, he afterwards complained were not attended to by those who concluded and ratified the treaty. On the same day, at the hour of noon, the term for the suspension of hostilities having expired, the British head-quarters were moved to Torres Vedras, from which Junot had withdrawn. On the 30th, Junot signed the definitive convention; and, on the following day, Sir Hew Dalrymple, having convened generals Moore, Hope, and Fraser, in their presence, and with their approbation, ratified it. Sir Arthur Wellesley was not present at the ratification of the convention, as he was then at Sobral with his division. In a letter addressed to Lord Castlereagh at this time, the future hero of the Peninsula expressed an earnest desire to be allowed to quit the army and return home. A copy of the convention accompanied Sir Hew Dalrymple's despatches to the British secretary of state, dated from Cintra, a village about thirteen miles from Torres Vedras, and twenty-five from Lisbon ; When Sir Hew received Sir Charles and from that circumstance obtained the Cotton's answer that he declined to sanc- name of the "Convention of Cintra." In purtion the condition relative to the Russian suance of the convention, the forts on the fleet, he sent, on the 25th, the quarter-Tagus were taken possession of by the British master-general, Lieutenant-colonel Murray, troops on the 2nd of September; and, on with a letter to Junot, apprising him of the the 8th and 9th, a British corps marched British admiral's decision; but that if he into Lisbon, to secure tranquillity and prowaived the exception in favour of the Rus-tect the embarkation of the enemy, who, besian fleet, he was willing to conclude the fore the end of the month, had entirely condition on the terms specified in the quitted the capital. On all the forts the flag accompanying memoranda, which had been of Braganza was hoisted, and a council of drawn up by Sir Arthur Wellesley; and in regency and a provisional government, in the which the British hero, with that frankness name and on the behalf of the prince-regent and sense of honour which were the peculiar of Portugal, was established. Sir John Hope characteristics of all his transactions, em- was appointed governor of Lisbon. gal, and to advance on Valladolid, where he was informed Baird's division would effect the junction with the main body of the army under the command of Sir John. It will be necessary here to give a brief statement of the condition of Spanish affairs at this period. In order to give direction to the public. force, correspondent to the will and sacrifices of the people, in their struggle with the powerful enemy by whom their country was assailed, it was necessary to appoint local governments in the respective prov The intelligence of the convention of Cintra was received both by Spain and Portugal, and the people of Great Britain, with a universal burst of indignation. Petitions from all parts of the kingdom being forwarded to the throne, calling for an investigation, a board of inquiry, consisting of four generals and three lieutenant-generals, was appointed to sit in Chelsea Hospital and investigate the reprobated convention. Sir Hew Dalrymple and Sir Harry Burrard were recalled, in order to be examined by this board. Sir Arthur Wellesley requested to be examined. The court was convened on the 14th of inces. These governments were entitled November, and continued sitting with adjournments. By their report they exonerated all the generals, stating, that "on a consideration of all the circumstances, no further military proceeding was necessary on the subject." But neither the ministry nor the people agreed with the award. Sir Hew Dalrymple was not permitted to resume the lieutenant-governorship of Gibraltar; but Sir Harry Burrard, who was much more censurable, resumed his command of the London district. In December, Sir Arthur Wellesley resumed his office as chief secretary for Ireland. A few days previous to the departure of Sir Hew Dalrymple and Sir Harry Burrard from Portugal, for the purpose of attending the court of inquiry instituted for the investigation of the Cintra convention, despatches from Lord Castlereagh reached Sir John Moore with his appointment to the command of the British troops, to co-operate with the Spanish armies in the expulsion of the French from Spain. Intimation was also given him that a corps of 10,000 men, under Sir David Baird, was about to sail for Corunna, in order to form a junction with him. Sir John Moore's instructions were to assemble all the disposable troops in PortuThis really good man and accomplished officer, prior to his appointment to command in Portugal, had been sent in May, 1808, with an expedition consisting of 12,000 men, in conjunction with the fleet under Admiral Keats, to aid the King of Sweden in the impending contest between Sweden and the coalesced powers of Russia, France, and Denmark, and thus effect a diversion of the contemplated invasion of the Peninsula by Napoleon. The English expedition reached Gottenburg on the 17th of May, but was not permitted to land until the Swedish forces were collected. It was then proposed that the combined forces should attack Zealand; but Sir John ascertaining that that island was filled with a far superior force to that of the allies, and that it could be readily protected from French and Spanish troops from Fühnen, the Swe juntas, and administered the authority of the |