English on this occasion was gazetted, in killed, wounded, and missing, as consisting of twenty-eight officers, and four hundred and fifty-one non-commissioned officers and privates.

On the day following the above battle, the British army proceeded to Lourinha, to protect the disembarkation of the troops under General Anstruther; but the French general, Junot, knowing that further reinforcements were expected from England, resolved, notwithstanding the repulse of a portion of his army on the 17th, to renew his efforts to compel the British to retire before fresh succours should arrive. With this view he quitted Lisbon with nearly the whole of his troops, and proceeded on his march to Vimiera. Sir Arthur Wellesley had made himself master of a fine position, but intended to march towards Mafra on the morning of the 21st, and thereby turn the position of the French divisions under Generals Loison and Laborde. This, however, he was prevented from doing by the arrival of Sir Harry Burrard at Macera Bay on the preceding evening. Sir Harry was prompted to this measure, under the

idea of waiting for a reinforcement under General Ackland; but, on the night of the 20th and on the morning of the 21st, the French troops were seen in motion by the British centinels, in such a manner as to leave no doubt of their intention to attack; Sir Arthur accordingly made every necessary preparation to meet it. :

The village of Vimiera stands in a valley; at the back, and to the northward and westward of this little town, there is a mountain, whose western point extends to the sea, while the eastern is separated by a deep ravine from the heights, over which the road passes that leads from Lourinha. The greatest part of the English infantry, with eight pieces of artillery, were posted on this mountain, under Generals Hill and Ferguson. The riflemen under General Fane, and the brigade of General Anstruther were posted on a hill to the east and south of the village, entirely commanded by the mountain upon which Generals Hill and Ferguson were placed. The cavalry and reserved artillery were stationed in the valley between the hills on which the infantry were posted, flanking and supporting Ge

neral Fane's advanced guard. As soon as the French appeared, as it was obviously their intention to attack the advanced guard and left wing of the British, the latter changed their positions to meet and repel them. Major-general Major-general Ferguson's brigade

was immediately moved across the ravine to the heights on the road to Lourinha, with three pieces of cannon; he was followed successively by Brigadier-general: Nightin gale with his brigade, three pieces of cannon, and two other brigades. These troops were formed on the heights to the right and left of Vimiera.::

The attack of the enemy commenced in several columns upon the whole of the British troops, on the height to the southward and eastward of the town, and notwithstanding the fire of the English riflemen, they advanced close to the 50th regiment, by whose bayonets they were checked and driven back. In the church-yard also, where a small body of troops were posted, a further engagement took place, in which the French were repulsed; and while one column advanced against the British left, another body endeavoured to break through

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the right wing, but were repulsed at the point of the bayonet by the 95th, supported by the second battalion of the 52d, which, by an advance in column, took them in flank. But after General Anstruther advanced to attack the enemy, the contest on the height was long and desperate, till at length the French gave way, and retired in great confusion, leaving behind them seven pieces of cannon, and a number of killed, wounded, and prisoners. They were pursued by a detachment of British cavalry, but from the enemy's superiority in this respect, the English, after having suffered severely; were obliged to return. It is sufficient how. ever to say, that the enemy failed in all his attacks, and that though their loss was very considerable, that of the English, according to their own return, amounted in killed, wounded, and missing, to no more than 800 men!

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After a victory so glorious, it appeared most unaccountable that Sir Hew Dalrymple, who had quitted his station at Gibraltar to take the command of the British army in Portugal, and arrived at Cintra, should listen to a proposal made by Junot, by a

flag of truce, for the evacuation of Portugal An armistice which was likewise agreed upon, directly after the battle, did not ap pear less astonishing than any event of the war. This general, however, who must be supposed to have been the best judge of passing events, urged, "that many circumstances of a local and incidental nature" had great weight in deciding his resolution. The great importance of time, he also observed, which the enemy could easily have consumed in the protracted defence of the strong places they occupied, if terms of convention had been refused them, was decisive as to the measures he then adopted, to put an end to the campaign in that quarter.

But as the convention of Cintra stipulated that the French under General Junot were not to be considered as prisoners of war, but that all the individuals composing it were to be transported to France, with their arms and baggage and the whole of their private property, the nation at large, particularly the capital, felt highly indig nant. They had flattered themselves that nothing short of surrendering at discretion