Again, from "Twin Sieges". Together with the translation of Pelet's "campagne", this is the main French perspective that I have viewed. Although, I have printed but not read Horward's "Abandonment of Portugal". "Twin Sieges" provides some early indications of the travails of the army of Portugal and the extent to which this third invasion would be opposed.

Horward provides us with the following information see pp 250-3. French patrols making reconnaissance of the allied positions in the direction of Fuente Guinaldo, Vila Maior and along the Côa valley, were fired upon by Portuguese Ordenança and were surprised to find the Portuguese a) armed and b) ready to fight. No doubt, they anticipated no, or very little, sustained indigenous opposition to their INVASION of Portuguese territory (i.e. compared to 1807 and - in some respects - 1809).

Horward reports “ “The inhabitants in the hamlets, and little villages” complained Montbrun, “gather many people to defend against the approach of our troops. I do not know yet if it is a general measure of the Portuguese, but I suppose that until now it only occurs in those villages pillaged by our soldiers.” Horward also reports one occasion when Portuguese peasants returned to their homes in Pinhel. “ They were promised security for their families and property in return for wine, bread and meat, but this case was an exception.” Horward also makes use of the Marquis de Alorna’s account who reported to Massena that the “ “English have committed horrors” “ but Alorna also admitted that “The few inhabitants left behind all say the same … that they have been mistreated by French soldiers.” ” This is not the first or the last example of "mesintelligence" from this officer.

I have yet to read Alorna’s “Aperçu nouveau de la campagne de 1810 / 11”” or his (anonymous) compatriot’s Relação da campanha de Massena em Portugal, escripta por un official que acompanhou o seu exercito” – the latter is slightly less pro-French I gather. These are on my reading list over the next two years - I'm reading for an MA by research part-time. Both of these officers were considered traitors by the majority of the Portuguese population. As I have suggested, by this time (1810), as far as I can make out, there was no substantial French party or popular support for the French invasion. However, I have still to make a more extensive study of this aspect of the contemporary political situation. I am currently reading Fryman, Vichness and De la Fuente - all of are pertinent to the current thread on here and which provide some very specific information to support our understanding. I will do my best to incorporate more relevant points from them into the discussion as and where I can. Suffice to say, at this point, they are all unpublished PhD theses from the University of Florida States.

Best wishes

Anthony