5445_0146

1811
Nov The Army having made a move for the purpose as is supposed of intercepting a Almeida convoy coming into Rodrigo, you will be surprised to hear of my being in Portugal, but I was sent to Almeida with near 100 artificers under my command from the 4th Div. it being the intention of L.d Wellington to repair the works of this fortress; there are 1,000 men at work here, repairing the bridges, cleaning out the ditches, & rebuilding the walls  being the Senior Officer of the Detachment I have a good deal of trouble but is only to last a week, & it will be a very pleasant command in comparison to most others 
The weather is very fine but intensely cold, the ice is very thick  I never remember colder weather even on the bleak mountains of Guarda; & what makes it worse is that there is hardly a house in the town, you can burn a lamp in, they were so completely destroyed during the siege: & we can get barely fire enough to cook our provisions  The 4th Division is in the Sierra de Gata. Co.l Mc Lean is gone to England sick 
Major Knight Erskine commands the 27th Reg.t : a good Officer & a young man 
Dec.br
Celonico being relieved at Almeida I am marching with the Reg.t to Coimbra where 6th we are to get our clothing.