Returning to England towards the close of the year, in the spring of 1810, the first, second, third, fourth, sixth, and tenth companies were selected to reinforce the army of Lieutenant-General Viscount Wellington, then fighting in Portugal. It arrived at a very critical period in the history of the war, when Marshal Massena, pressing our troops with overwhelming numbers, they were retreating towards the impregnable lines of Torres Vedras, defeating the sanguine hopes of the French general. The Seventy-first, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Henry Cadogan, was brigaded with the Fiftieth and Ninety-second regiments under Major-General Sir William Erskine. Whilst maintaining these formidable defences, the following incident is related of Sir Adam Ferguson, who was so posted with his company that the French artillery might operate with fatal effect upon his men, but, for better security, they were ordered to lie prostrate on the ground. While in this attitude the captain, kneeling at their head, read aloud the description of the battle, as introducing our present chapter, and as selected from Sir Walter Scott’s “Lady of the Lake.” The little volume had just come into the camp as a stranger, but was soon welcomed as a friend. The listening soldiers, charmed with the poet’s tale, only interrupted the reading by an occasional and joyous huzzah whenever the French shot struck the bank close above them. Wearied, disappointed, and distressed by ravages of disease amongst his troops, the French Marshal was constrained in turn to retreat—a retreat which, but for the unslumbering vigilance of his pursuers, promised to be as successful as the ability with which it was conducted merited, worthy the genius of Massena—justly esteemed the right hand of Napoleon.