The army having retired into a position in the rear of Sobral, that place was occupied by the Seventy-first, having for its support the Fiftieth and Ninety-second Regiments and Major-General Alan Cameron’s brigade. On the 12th of October the pickets were violently attacked by the enemy’s advance, and retired skirmishing. In the meantime the place was ordered to be evacuated, and the pickets having joined, the Seventy-first took up a position on the outside, within musket-shot of the town. In this affair the detachment had 8 men killed and 34 wounded. In this position the Seventy-first continued, when on the 14th of October they were again attacked with the greatest impetuosity, and charged with the bayonet. The enemy was completely repulsed, with very considerable loss in killed and wounded, being chased to the spot from which he made the attack. Both parties resumed their original position. In Viscount Wellington’s despatch reporting this affair, the names of Lieut.-Colonel the Honourable Henry Cadogan, commanding the Seventy-first, and that of Brevet Lieut.-Col. Thomas Reynell, were particularly mentioned. A soldier of the sixth company, named John Rea, behaved on this occasion in the most gallant manner, and particularly distinguished himself, for which he received a silver medal with the following inscription:—“To John Rea, for his exemplary courage and good conduct as a soldier at Sobral, 14th October, 1810.” On the 15th of October the Seventy-first was ordered to withdraw into the position at Zibriera, which was in continuation of the lines of Torres Vedras. In this celebrated position, which bid defiance to the French army, the troops were constantly on the alert, occupied in rendering it as strong as circumstances would admit, and in observing the motions of the enemy. Marshal Massena did not think proper to attack the British army in this stronghold, and occupied his time in reconnaissances and demonstrations, until compelled, through want of provisions and consequent sickness of his troops, to abandon his designs, and retire to a position in his rear. This object he finally effected in a masterly manner, in the night, between the 14th and 15th of November, followed by the allied forces. Both armies thus evacuated positions on which the attention of Europe had been fixed, and which they had occupied for a month in presence of each other.