[Footnote 28: This is the present Marquis de Chaves, who headed the insurrection in 1827, against the Constitution.] [Footnote 29: The author was himself on board.—Ed.] [Footnote 30: The French called the British force with which we advanced against Oporto, 30,000 men.] [Footnote 31: Franceschi was an old opponent of Gen. Stewart, the Adjutant-General having commanded the brigade, of which a portion had been surprised at Rueda in Leon, a few months before, during the Corunna campaign.] [Footnote 32: In the French account of this campaign, published at Paris 1821, the Author represents _le 47^e de ligne_, when covering this retreat, as "se conduisant valeureusement."] [Footnote 33: The Author of the "Voyage en Espagne et Lettres Philosophiques," says at this time, "Les Espagnols ne pouvaient plus rien par eux-mêmes: ils n'avaient à opposer que des partis mal armés, mal équipés, mal aguerris, et plus mal commandés encore."] [Footnote 34: In the Author's original copy of his Journal, written a few days after, he finds the conduct of the Spaniards on this occasion thus noticed:—"and it is my belief they would have continued till _now_, if we had not aided them."] [Footnote 35: It is needless to say, this alludes to Foy's Introduction to the War of the Peninsula.] [Footnote 36: We were occupied after this attack in carrying away our wounded in blankets, by four or five soldiers, and within a short time the number of unfortunate men assembled round our field hospital, a small house and enclosure behind our centre, barely out of cannon shot, proved our heavy loss.] [Footnote 37: It is remarkable how the accounts differ respecting the hour of attack. Sir Arthur says about twelve, another relater mentions two, and Jourdan, in his interesting letter, places it as late as four o'clock.] [Footnote 38: Nous pûmes remarquer à l'occasion de ces deux affaires, le peu de cas que les Espagnols faisaient des Anglais; ils ne les surent aucun gré des efforts qu'ils firent à Talavera, et croyaient faire éloge de leur armée en disant qu'elle n'avait essuyé presqu'aucune perte. Les Anglais de leur côté les méprisent souverainement, et sont honteux de les avoir pour Alliés.—_M.S. Journal of a French Officer taken at Badajoz._] [Footnote 39: It was said 17,000 were found.] [Footnote 40: A noble Peer, on the vote of thanks to the army, afterwards remarked, that the capture of these guns was no proof of a victory, as, he sagaciously observed, it might have been _convenient_ for the enemy to leave them on the field of battle.] [Footnote 41: "Les Espagnols seuls restaient paisibles spectateurs du combat," says a French author.] [Footnote 42: We had the satisfaction of hearing after, that Victor, on entering Talavera, behaved with the greatest attention and kindness to those who, by the chance of war, had thus been left to his mercy and care.]