grenadiers,
which was soon done, myself being among the number told off for the
purpose. This was not carried out, however, without an accident, for
one of the women meanwhile fell from a balcony, owing to the crowded
state in which they were packed on it. The poor women seemed very glad
to get their liberty, for they came out as thick as a flock of sheep,
and a great many of them soon passed us bound for Lisbon, being
fearful of consequences if they took any other direction: as the
French were after us so near as to skirmish with our rear-guard,
which chiefly consisted of cavalry.

Lord Wellington had indeed issued a proclamation ordering all the
inhabitants to fall back on the approach of the enemy, and destroy any
articles that they might possess and were not able to carry with them,
that were at all likely to be of any use to the enemy; and so
thousands of the population of the country that seemed about to fall
within the bounds of the enemy's marches were to be seen flying from
their dwellings, and our army during its retreat was accompanied by
crowds of miserable men, women, and children, all eager to reach the
capital, as they knew that if they fell in with the French, they would
be treated as some had been before, with all the barbarities of an
atrocious enemy. I have often heard talk of "moving" in England, and
have seen a cart or wagon with a man driving a load of furniture, at
the rate of three miles an hour, with a woman and perhaps several
children sitting on the top, or at the back; but I never before or
since saw such a wholesale move as this was, for every one seemed
anxious to carry as many of his effects as he could find room for. The
farther we proceeded the more confused our retreat appeared, for
multitudes were obliged to rest weary and exhausted by the roadside,
and often, though made eager in their endeavours as they heard of the
enemy's approach to again renew their tedious journey, were found
dying or even dead from their hard exertions, and the road was
everywhere strewn with pieces of all kinds of furniture, which the
poor fugitives had vainly attempted to get forward.

From Leiria we went on further to Torres Vedras, which we gained after
a long, tedious, and impressive march; and there we took up our
position at some fine breastworks which Lord Wellington had for some
time previous ordered to be thrown up by the Portuguese peasantry in
case of the retreat of our army. Now we found how muc