In this situation he carefully took care of organizing the auxiliary troops of the provincial army, and when Massena invaded the Portuguese territory, Bacelar long kept the northern provinces of the kingdom free from enemies, and then operating against Drouet over the Alva and Claperéde, which had occupied Lamego, finally succeeded, when the imperial troops withdrew, to limit their left flank to Mondego and to preserve the peoples on the right bank of that river from the horrors and catastrophes that accompanied the passing of the French soldiers.