Edward Costello had no great opinion of the Portuguese whom he thought were lazy deserters who gambled too much but this observation from the Siegework of Badajoz I couldn't resist. It took around a month to complete digging the trenches around the fort - they were shelled and bombed all day doing it and Costello says:

It not unfrequently happened that parties of men were sent out in independent files to pick up the dismembered legs, arms, &C~ which sometimes might be seen scattered about by the bursting shells. This precaution was thought necessary to prevent any ill-effect their appearance might cause on the courage of the Portuguese, who were quite as likely to put the heels in motion as their heads.

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