5445_0137

1811 Sep.br
village one league in Spain, a short distance from Fort Conception & close to the left of L.d Wellington’s position in the battle of the battle of the 5th of Fuentes de Onor  we are so crowded, having 2 Reg.ts in about 30 hovels, that I have been obliged to make myself a shade with a blanket, there being no trees near the village  several of the frontier towns or rather villages thro’ which we passed are entirely destroyed  houses unroofed & churches demolished  we marched close by Fort Conception, which is most completely destroyed, having been blown up by L.d W.s orders on the advance of the French to invest Almeida last year  it was formerly the Woolwich of Spain  had it been besieged, nothing but starvation could have made it surrender  it must have been a most beautiful & complete work situated on a very commanding position between Aldea del Obispo & Valdemula & just above the river which separates Spain from Portugal  Valdemula which is in Portugal is completely demolished, whilst Aldea del