Wellington's next step was to put in hand measures for the depopulation and devastation of the countryside in the regions through which the invaders would be likely to pass. On 1st March 1810, he sent a confidential memorandum to LieutenantGeneral Bacellar who was the Governor of the border province of Beira. Bacellar was told that the province was to be left to its own resources for its defence and Wellington made the following recommendations:

'In case it should be necessary, preparations and arrangements must be made for destroying the bridges over the Coa, between Pinhel and Villar Torpin, and Castello Bom ... Whenever a bridge or road is destroyed, a party of Ordenanza must be stationed to prevent the enemy from repairing it; and a party must, in the event of the British army quitting this part of the country, be stationed on this side of the bridge of Almeida ... It will likewise be necessary to have parties of the Ordenanza at the Several fords on the Coa, from Castello Bom to the junction with the Douro. The next point will be the river Mondego. If the enemy should penetrate by passing the Coa, it does not appear that it will be very easy to prevent him from entering the valley of the Mondego. The bridges on the Mondego, in the whole extent of its course from Celorico to Ponte da Murcella, ought to be broken, and arrangements should be made for that purpose, and for posting a party of the Ordenanza at each bridge, in order to prevent the enemy from repairing it ... The bridges upon the Alva, etc. ought likewise to be destroyed, and parties of Ordenanza placed at each of them, if the enemy should penetrate by the left of the Mondego: and those upon the Tavora, upon the Dao, the bridge at Fail, the Ponte da Pedrinha, the bridge at Santa Comadao, and the bridges of the Criz, if they should penetrate by the country North of the Mondego. All the bridges upon the Zezere should likewise be destroyed ... the bridge should be broken only when it appears probable that the enemy may intend to use it.' [18]

Wellington followed this by issuing a Proclamation to the people of Portugal, ordering them to abandon their property if the French should invade. Wellington fully expected to be forced back by the French. 'I shall risk nothing at any great distance from the sea,' he informed Admiral Keats. 'I shall withdraw gradually towards Lisbon in proportion as I shall find myself pressed by the enemy.' [19]

As he retreated he expected the Portuguese to leave their houses and remove or destroy anything that might be of value to the enemy. Wellington calculated that the French would be unable to gather together sufficient stocks of food to permit them to form magazines along the invasion route. They would be able to carry with them provisions for no more than one or two weeks, expecting to supplement their rations from the resources of the land through which they advanced.

Wellington intended to deny them these resources and to impede and delay their march so that by the time the French reached the Lines of Torres Vedras the invaders would be exhausted and half-starved. 'Resistance, and the determination to render the enemy's advance into their country as difficult as possible by removing out of his way everything that is valuable, or that can contribute to his subsistence, or frustrate his progress,' ran the proclamation, 'are the only and certain remedies for the evils with which they are threatened." [20]

On 11 May 1810, Wellington issued another Proclamation that gave a list of punishable war-crimes:

'Firstly: Refusing to supply carts, boats, or beasts of burthen when required. Secondly: Refusing to remove their articles or animals out of reach of the enemy. Thirdly: Disobedience of the orders of the magistrates, to proceed to and remain at any station, with carriages, boats, etc. Fourthly: Desertion from the service, either with or without carriages, etc. Fifthly: Embezzlement of provisions or stores which they may be employed to transport.' [21]

Wellington also ordered that all boats on the major rivers were to be registered and placed under the jurisdiction of the local authorities. All boat bridges on the Tagus for a distance of 150 miles north of Lisbon were to be withdrawn, and ferries and other small craft were to be burnt. All animals were to be driven away, mills and ovens were to be destroyed and all food-stuffs that could not be carried off were to be spoiled. 'The moment that the enemy crosses the frontier,' Wellington wrote to Beresford, 'the governor of the province of Extramadura must be told that it is necessary to order all carts, carriages and other means of conveyance, with all the provisions they can carry away. He ought to have all his arrangements prepared for ordering them off as soon as the French approach.' [22]

The Portuguese were also ordered to be prepared to evacuate their homes in the path of the invaders. 'I hereby declare,' began another Proclamation, of the 4 August, 'that all magistrates or persons in authority who remain in the towns or villages, after receiving orders from any of the military officers to retire from them; and all persons, of whatever description, who hold any communication with the enemy, and aid or assist in any manner, will be considered traitors to the state, and shall be tried and punished accordingly.' [23]

Wellington did not believe that the French would be strong enough to leave detachments to protect their lines of communication. He reckoned that in the mountainous regions around the frontier it would be sufficient for the natives to take to the hills for a few days whilst the invaders marched by. Thus the inhabitants near the Mondego valley were to remove to the rugged Serra de Alcoba. Those close to the Zezere valley were to find refuge in the villages along the Zezere river, whilst the people in the vicinity of the Serra da Estrella were to retire into that mountain. The people in Western Beira were instructed to fall back to Oporto and the inhabitants of Extramadura were told to be ready to retire into Lisbon and the protection of the Lines of Torres Vedras. Large stocks of food were shipped into Lisbon and Oporto ready for the migrant population.

Notes