The New Hampshire Gazette

Extract of a letter dated Lisbon, 6th Oct 1810.

"The minds of people here are so agitated by the rapid movements of the armies, they are incapable of fixing on any thing. I should have sailed for New York this day, had things remained as they were a few days since; but finding the combined forces under Lord Wellington falling back so rapidly after a partial engagement of his left wing, with a party of the French, I am induced to wait a few days longer. The alarm is so great here that business is entirely at a stand; nothing but flour can be sold. Within these two days paper money has fell 12 per cent.; it is now fluctuating between 35 and 41 below par The head-quarters of Lord Wellington's army were at Villa Franca yesterday and to-day at Mafra, 12 or 13 miles from Lisbon, and the line of defence is formed from thence to Alverca. Thus, the army is situated from the sea to the banks of the Tagus. Alverca is 16 miles from Lisbon --Beresford is there- Lord Wellington at Mafra, where he is determined to receive the French, and there decide the fate of Portugal. Mortier with 16,000 by last accounts was at Tomar, and Romana with 20,000 Spaniards was at Abrantes, observing the movements of Mortier. Some prisoners were brought in here yesterday, among which General Simmons; he is badly wounded-Maida has declared that he would never stop after striking the first stroke until he drove the English into the sea-he has now commenced. and it is much feared the English will be obliged to embark in a very short time. The French force is estimated at 75 to 80,000 men-the combined forces are nearly equal; therefore it is expected to be a dreadful affair should the English wait the issue. It is whispered that the French are much stronger--the retreat of Lord Wellington seems to confirm this report. Last night all the large boats and lighters were put in requisition and sent up the river, it is said for the sick and heavy baggage--in one or two days something decisive must take place. The head quarters of the French army by the latest accounts were at Batalha.

"P S. The French move with astonishing rapidity."