had not assisted in weighing their anchors, warping them across the river, and securing them on the southern side, they must have remained exposed to the Miguelite fire. Their removal, however, gave great offence to Don Pedro’s Ministry; – an official correspondence took place upon the subject between them and Colonel Sorrell, part of which was transmitted to Commander Glascock, and forwarded by him for Rear-Admiral Parker’s perusal. The same Ministers afterwards addressed a letter to the Consul, declaratory of their determination to fire upon the vessels which had been removed, should they attempt to take in a cargo, though that cargo must have come from the town of Oporto. Whilst thus attempting to bully the British, they were permitting their opponents to build with impunity, on the Gaia hill, a formidable and commanding battery, which did more mischief to Oporto than all the others the Miguelites had before brought to bear upon the city.
On the evening of the 9th April, the Pedroites made an attack upon Monte Cabello, a hill about three hundred yards in advance of Aguardente. Their object was to secure that position, and to take from their opponents an unfinished redoubt which had been commenced a night or two previous, in which they succeeded. On the following morning, at 5 o’clock, the Miguelites attempted to regain their lost position, but were repulsed after several hours fighting, and a general skirmish along the lines. The number killed and wounded on the side of the constitutionalists was between 80 and 100 men, including two captains and two subaltern officers. About forty Miguelites were taken prisoners by the British brigade, but the amount of their loss could not be ascertained.
About this period, the Pedroite schooner Liberal, having been raised and re-equipped without molestation, effected her escape from the Douro. Whilst dropping down the river, with the first of the night ebb, she had one volunteer killed, and two seamen wounded, by the fire from theMiguelite batteries. On the 18th April, 316 French troops arrived off Oporto, 200 of whom were landed, with a considerable
