The journal of an Army surgeon during the Peninsular War / [by Charles Boutflower].

  • Boutflower, Charles, 1782-1844.
Date:
[1912]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The journal of an Army surgeon during the Peninsular War / [by Charles Boutflower]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    181/192 (page 177)
    [March] March 2d. On the 26th Ulto. I quitted Pesqueira, Genl. Cole having the day before received an order to have the Divn. in readiness to march. I remained that night at Sedevin with my old Friends of the 40th. The following Day I rode four Leagues to a Village called Villar where I remained with my Friend Col. Carr of the 83d ; before leaving Sedevin, they were apprized that the Division was to march on the 28th, but they were ignorant of their destination, tho’ it was supposed to be the Neighbourhood of the Coa or Agueda. On the 28th my route was to Pedrosos, five Leagues ; and on the 6th March I reached Vizeu, three leagues. Vizeu is a large Town and is a Bishop’s See ; the Cathedral has nothing in it worthy of Notice ; the Town is not at present occupied by Troops but is a General Hospl. Station, containing about twelve hundred Sick ; the Guards in Vizeu & the neighbour- hood have in the last two or three months lost six hundred men by sickness.—This morning I quitted Vizeu, and came to a large village called Tondella, three Leagues through a beautiful Country ; the Weather set in fine the day I left Pesqueira, & has continued delightful ever since. 6th. On the 3d my route was four Leagues to a Village called Mortiagoa where I was well accommodated in the house of the Padre Prior of the place.—On the 4th another four Leagues to a village called Mealhada ; this day I passed over the Sierra of Busaco where the Action was fought in Septem- ber 1810 ; the unburied Bones of the French still point out the place of Combat, & will remain an everlasting Monument of the rashness of their Commander. Yesterday I reached Coimbra, three Leagues. This place has suffered very little from the incursion of the French ; it is the third Town in Portugal and has a very fine Cathedral, which however is not well finished. Notwithstanding it is so large a Town there is a greater difficulty in procuring a Billet in it, than any other Town in the Country, though the people have suffered less almost than any other ; I look upon them as the most uncivil in Portugal, perhaps with the exception of those of Lisbon,