General Lemos, on the 10th Jan., Commander Glascock had occasion to complain to Marshal Solignac of one of the Pedroite volunteers having drawn his bayonet upon a midshipman whom he sent on shore to ascertain the name of a person who had fired two musket-balls into the bow of the Orestes. He subsequently wrote to the Marshal as follows:
“I must do the Miguelite piquets the justice to say, that they have for some time past shewn great forbearance; and their return of fire has been invariably provoked by the volunteers of Don Pedro and crew of the vessel of war designated the “Twenty-third of July.” I have to return your Excellency my best thanks for the prompt manner in which you caused an investigation to be made into the complaint I had occasion to make to you yesterday.”
The poor of Oporto were at this period suffering considerably, and a subscription was set on foot by the English, in order, if possible, to administer to their wants. The weather was unfavorable for military operations, and both belligerents appeared to be at a stand still. Nothing of importance occurred previous to the 24th Jan., with the exception of Vice-Admiral Sartorious having appeared off the bar, and exchanged a few shots with the batteries.
On the afternoon of the 24th, Marshal Solignac marched out of the town of Oporto, with a large body of troops, towards the vicinity of Foz. His object was to take possession of the hill of Castro, to destroy a neighbouring battery, and ultimately to cut off the right wing of Don Miguel’s line from the main body of his force to the northward. The squadron under Sartorious had instructions to co-operate with Solignac, and it was said that the Marshal lost much time in waiting for the vessels of war, at anchor off the bar, to weigh. One frigate got under sail, but the crew of the “Reinha,” flag-ship, mutinied at a most unseasonable moment, and refused to lift the anchor. By this untimely revolt, the Vice-Admiral was prevented from co-operating effectually with the army. After a severe resistance, the hill of Castro was taken by the second British battalion, under Major Brownston. The French, at one time, were completely repulsed; but they again rallied, and came in time to
