I believe it would be better if they were trained to march barefooted.

Their feet would soon get hardened and, at any rate, it would be an improvement on the boots now served out to them.
"I wish the other Portuguese regiments were as well drilled and as well set up as your fellows.

Of course, your men don't look smart, at present, and would not make a good show on a parade ground; but I hear that there are a large quantity of uniforms coming out, shortly; and I hope, long before the campaign opens, they will all be served out.

The British regiments are almost as badly off as the native ones.

However, I suppose matters will right themselves before the spring; but they are almost as badly off, now, as they were when they marched into Corunna.