hips was lying
practically blockaded. In a military sense, he was successful, but the
rapacity of the French, the contagion of the Spanish uprising, the
memory of the old alliance with England, and the proximity of English
fleets, stirred the blood of the Portuguese nation into ill-concealed
hostility. The Spanish commander at Oporto withdrew his troops to
Galicia, and the inhabitants declared for independence. Their example
was followed in other parts of Portugal. Junot acted with vigour,
disarmed the Spanish contingent at Lisbon, and sent columns to quell
disturbances on the Spanish frontiers, but he soon realised the
necessity of concentration. He therefore resolved to abandon most of the
Portuguese fortresses, limiting his efforts to holding Lisbon, and
keeping open his line of communication with Spain.

[Pageheading: _VIMEIRO AND CINTRA._]

Such was the state of affairs in the Peninsula when Sir Arthur Wellesley
landed his army of some 12,000 men on August 13, 1808. He had been
specially designated for the command of a British army in Portugal by
Castlereagh, then secretary for war and the colonies, who fully
appreciated his singular capacity for so difficult a service. Sir John
Moore, who had just returned from the Baltic, having found it hopeless
to co-operate with Gustavus IV. of Sweden, was sent out soon afterwards
to Portugal with a corps of some 10,000 men. Both these eminent soldiers
were directed to place themselves under the orders not only of Sir Hew
Dalrymple, the governor of Gibraltar, as commander-in-chief, but of Sir
Harry Burrard, when he should arrive, as second in command. Wellesley
had received general instructions to afford "the Spanish and Portuguese
nations every possible aid in throwing off the yoke of France," and was
empowered to disembark at the mouth of the Tagus. Having obtained
trustworthy information at Coruna and Oporto, he decided rather to begin
his campaign from a difficult landing-place south of Oporto at the mouth
of the Mondego, and to march thence upon Lisbon. He was opportunely
joined by General Spencer from the south of Spain, and chose the
coast-road by Torres Vedras. At Rolica he encountered a smaller force
under Delaborde, sent in advance by Junot to delay his progress, and
routed it after a severe combat. Delaborde, however, retreated with
admirable tenacity, and Wellesley, expecting reinforcements from the
coast, pushed forward to Vimeiro, without attempting to check the