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Operations in Aragon--Confusion in Zaragoza--The third and fifth corps invest that city--Fortification described--Monte Torrero taken--Attack on the suburb repulsed--Mortier takes post at Calatayud--The convent of San Joseph taken--The bridge-head carried--Huerba passed--Device of the Spanish leaders to encourage the besieged--Marquis of Lazan takes post on the Sierra de Alcubierre--Lasnes arrives in the French camp--Recalls Mortier--Lazan defeated--Gallant exploit of Mariano Galindo--The walls of the town taken by assault--General Lacoste and colonel San Genis slain 18

System of terror--The convent of St. Monica taken--Spaniards attempt to retake it, but fail--St. Augustin taken--French change their mode of attack--Spaniards change their mode of defence--Terrible nature of the contest--Convent of Jesus taken on the side of the suburb--Attack on the suburb repulsed--Convent of Francisco taken--Mine exploded under the university fails, and the besieged are repulsed--The Cosso passed--Fresh mines worked under the university, and in six other places--French soldiers dispirited--Lasnes encourages them--The houses leading down to the quay carried by storm--An enormous mine under the university being sprung, that building is carried by assault--The suburb is taken--Baron Versage killed, and two thousand Spaniards surrender--Successful attack on the right bank of the Ebro--Palafox demands terms, which are refused--Fire resumed--Miserable condition of the city--Terrible pestilence, and horrible sufferings of the besieged--Zaragoza surrenders--Observations 38

Operations in Catalonia--St. Cyr commands the seventh corps--Passes the frontier--State of Catalonia--Palacios fixes his head-quarters at Villa Franca--Duhesme forces the line of the Llobregat--Returns to Barcelona--English army from Sicily designed to act in Catalonia--Prevented by Murat--Duhesme forages El Vall?s--Action of San Culgat--General Vives supersedes Palacios--Spanish army augments--Blockade of Barcelona--Siege of Rosas--Folly and negligence of the junta--Entrenchments in the town carried by the besiegers--Marquis of Lazan, with six thousand men, reaches Gerona--Lord Cochrane enters the Trinity--Repulses several assaults--Citadel surrenders 5th December--St. Cyr marches on Barcelona--Crosses the Ter--Deceives Lazan--Turns Hostalrich--Defeats Milans at San Celoni--Battle of Cardadeu--Caldagues retires behind the Llobregat--Negligence of Duhesme--Battle of Molino del Rey 54

Transactions in Portugal--State of that country--Neglected by the English cabinet--Sir J. Cradock appointed to command the British troops--Touches at Coru?a--At Oporto--State of this city--Lusitanian legion--State of Lisbon--Cradock endeavours to reinforce Moore--Mr. Villiers arrives at Lisbon--Pikes given to the populace--Destitute state of the army--Mr. Frere, and others, urge Cradock to move into Spain--The reinforcements for sir J. Moore halted at Castello Branco--General Cameron sent to Almeida--French advanced guard reaches Merida--Cradock relinquishes the design of reinforcing the army in Spain, and concentrates his own troops at Saccavem--Discontents in Lisbon--Defenceless state and danger of Portugal--Relieved by sir J. Moore's advance to Sahagun 112

French retire from Merida--Send a force to Plasencia--The direct intercourse between Portugal and sir J. Moore's army interrupted--Military description of Portugal--Situation of the troops--Cradock again pressed, by Mr. Frere and others, to move into Spain--The ministers ignorant of the real state of affairs--Cradock hears of Moore's advance to Sahagun--Embarks two thousand men to reinforce him--Hears of the retreat to Coru?a, and re-lands them--Admiral Berkely arrives at Lisbon--Ministers more anxious to get possession of Cadiz than to defend Portugal--Five thousand men, under general Sherbrooke, embarked at Portsmouth--Sir George Smith reaches Cadiz--State of that city--He demands troops from Lisbon--General Mackenzie sails from thence, with troops--Negotiations with the junta--Mr. Frere's weak proceedings--Tumult in Cadiz--The negotiation fails 127

Weakness of the British army in Portugal--General Cameron marches to Lisbon--Sir R. Wilson remains near Ciudad Rodrigo--Sir J. Cradock prepares to take a defensive position at Passo d'Arcos--Double dealing of the regency--The populace murder foreigners, and insult the British troops--Anarchy in Oporto--British government ready to abandon Portugal--Change their intention--Military system of Portugal--the regency demand an English general--Beresford is sent to them--Sherbrooke's and Mackenzie's troops arrive at Lisbon--Beresford arrives there, and takes the command of the native force--Change in the aspect of affairs--Sir J. Cradock encamps at Lumiar--Relative positions of the allied and French armies--Marshal Beresford desires sir J. Cradock to march against Soult--Cradock refuses--Various unwise projects broached by different persons 142

Coru?a and Ferrol surrender to Soult--He is ordered, by the emperor, to invade Portugal--The first corps is directed to aid this operation--Soult goes to St. Jago--Distressed state of the second corps--Operations of Romana and state of Gallicia--Soult commences his march--Arrives on the Minho--Occupies Tuy, Vigo, and Guardia--Drags large boats over land from Guardia to Campo Saucos--Attempt to pass the Minho--Is repulsed by the Portuguese peasantry--Importance of this repulse--Soult changes his plan--Marches on Orense--Defeats the insurgents at Franquera, at Ribidavia, and in the valley of the Avia--Leaves his artillery and stores in Tuy--Defeats the Spanish insurgents in several places, and prepares to invade Portugal--Defenceless state of the northern provinces of that kingdom--Bernadim Friere advances to the Cavado river--Sylveira advances to Chaves--Concerts operations with Romana--Disputes between the Portuguese and Spanish troops--Ignorance of the generals 162

Soult enters Portugal--Action at Monterey--Franceschi makes great slaughter of the Spaniards--Portuguese retreat upon Chaves--Romana flies to Puebla Senabria--Portuguese mutiny--Three thousand throw themselves into Chaves--Soult takes that town--Marches upon Braga--Forces the defiles of Ruivaens and Venda Nova--Tumults and disorders in the Portuguese camp at Braga--Murder of general Friere and others--Battle of Braga--Soult marches against Oporto--Disturbed state of that town--Sylveira retakes Chaves--The French force the passage of the Ave--The Portuguese murder general Vallonga--French appear in front of Oporto--Negotiate with the bishop--Violence of the people--General Foy taken--Battle of Oporto--The city stormed with great slaughter 183

Operations of the first and fourth corps--General state of the French army--Description of the valley of the Tagus--Inertness of marshal Victor--Albuquerque and Cartoajal dispute--The latter advance in La Mancha--General Sebastiani wins the battle of Ciudad Real--Marshal Victor forces the passage of the Tagus, and drives Cuesta's army from all its positions--French cavalry checked at Miajadas--Victor crosses the Guadiana at Medellin--Albuquerque joins Cuesta's army--Battle of Medellin--Spaniards totally defeated--Victor ordered, by the king, to invade Portugal--Opens a secret communication with some persons in Badajos--The peasants of Albuera discover the plot, which fails--Operations of general Lapisse--He drives back sir R. Wilson's posts, and makes a slight attempt to take Ciudad Rodrigo--Marches suddenly towards the Tagus, and forces the bridge of Alcantara--Joins Victor at Merida--General insurrection along the Portuguese frontier--The central junta remove Cartoajal from the command, and increase Cuesta's authority, whose army is reinforced--Joseph discontented with Lapisse's movement--Orders Victor to retake the bridge of Alcantara 208

The bishop of Oporto flies to Lisbon, and joins the regency--Humanity of marshal Soult--The Anti-Braganza party revives in the north of Portugal--The leaders make proposals to Soult--He encourages them--Error arising out of this proceeding--Effects of Soult's policy--Assassination of colonel Lameth--Execution at Arifana--Distribution of the French troops--Franceschi opposed, on the Vouga, by colonel Trant--Loison falls back behind the Souza--Heudelet marches to the relief of Tuy--The Spaniards, aided by some English frigates, oblige thirteen hundred French to capitulate at Vigo--Heudelet returns to Braga--The insurrection in the Entre Minho e Douro ceases--Sylveira menaces Oporto--Laborde reinforces Loison, and drives Sylveira over the Tamega--Gallant conduct and death of colonel Patrick at Amarante--Combats at Amarante--French repulsed--Ingenious device of captain Brochard--The bridge of Amarante carried by storm--Loison advances to the Douro--Is suddenly checked--Observations 231

Anarchy in Portugal--Sir J. Cradock quits the command--Sir A. Wellesley arrives at Lisbon--Happy effect of his presence--Nominated captain-general--His military position described--Resolves to march against Soult--Reaches Coimbra--Conspiracy in the French army--D'Argenton's proceedings--Sir A. Wellesley's situation compared with that of Sir J. Cradock 262

Campaign on the Douro--Relative position of the French and English armies--Sir Arthur Wellesley marches to the Vouga--Sends Beresford to the Douro--A division under general Hill passes the lake of Ovar--Attempt to surprise Francheschi fails--Combat of Grijon--The French re-cross the Douro and destroy the bridge at Oporto--Passage of the Douro--Soult retreats upon Amarante--Beresford reaches Amarante--Loison retreats from that town--Sir Arthur marches upon Braga--Desperate situation of Soult--His energy--He crosses the Sierra Catalina--Rejoins Loison--Reaches Carvalho d'Est?--Falls back to Salamonde--Daring action of major Dulong--The French pass the Ponte Nova and the Saltador, and retreat by Montalegre--Soult enters Orense--Observations 277

Romana surprises Villa Franca--Ney advances to Lugo--Romana retreats to the Asturias--Reforms the government there--Ney invades the Asturias by the west--Bonnet and Kellerman enter that province by the east and by the south--General Mahi flies to the valley of the Syl--Romana embarks at Gihon--Ballasteros takes St. Andero--Defeated by Bonnet--Kellerman returns to Valladolid--Ney marches for Coru?a--Carera defeats Maucune at St. Jago Compostella--Mahi blockades Lugo--It is relieved by Soult--Romana rejoins his army and marches to Orense--Lapisse storms the bridge of Alcantara--Cuesta advances to the Guadiana--Lapisse retires--Victor concentrates his army at Torremocha--Effect of the war in Germany upon that of Spain--Sir A. Wellesley encamps at Abrantes--The bridge of Alcantara destroyed--Victor crosses the Tagus at Almaraz--Beresford returns to the north of Portugal--Ney and Soult combine operations--Soult scours the valleys of the Syl--Romana cut off from Castile and thrown back upon Orense--Ney advances towards Vigo--Combat of San Payo--Misunderstanding between him and Soult--Ney retreats to Coru?a--Soult marches to Zamora--Franceschi falls into the hands of the Capuchino--His melancholy fate--Ney abandons Gallicia--View of affairs in Aragon--Battles of Maria and Belchite 308

Campaign of Talavera--Choice of operations--Sir Arthur Wellesley moves into Spain--Joseph marches against Venegas--Orders Victor to return to Talavera--Cuesta arrives at Almaraz--Sir Arthur reaches Plasencia--Interview with Cuesta--Plan of operation arranged--Sir Arthur, embarrassed by the want of provisions, detaches sir Robert Wilson up the Vera de Plasencia, passes the Tietar, and unites with Cuesta at Oropesa--Skirmish at Talavera--Bad conduct of the Spanish troops--Victor takes post behind the Alberche--Cuesta's absurdity--Victor retires from the Alberche--Sir Arthur, in want of provisions, refuses to pass that river--Intrigues of Mr. Frere--The junta secretly orders Venegas not to execute his part of the operation 357

Cuesta passes the Alberche--Sir Arthur Wellesley sends two English divisions to support him--Soult is appointed to command the second, fifth, and sixth corps--He proposes to besiege Ciudad Rodrigo and threaten Lisbon--He enters Salamanca, and sends general Foy to Madrid to concert the plan of operations--The king quits Madrid--Unites his whole army--Crosses the Guadarama river, and attacks Cuesta--Combat of Alcabon--Spaniards fall back in confusion to the Alberche--Cuesta refuses to pass that river--His dangerous position--The French advance--Cuesta re-crosses the Tietar--Sir Arthur Wellesley draws up the combined forces on the position of Talavera--The king crosses the Tietar--Skirmish at Casa de Salinas--Combat on the evening of the 27th--Panic in the Spanish army--Combat on the morning of the 28th--The king holds a council of war--Jourdan and Victor propose different plans--The king follows that of Victor--Battle of Talavera--The French re-cross the Alberche--General Craufurd arrives in the English camp--His extraordinary march--Observations 377

Venegas advances to Aranjues--Skirmishes there--Sebastiani crosses the Tagus at Toledo--Venegas concentrates his army--Battle of Almonacid--Sir Arthur Wellesley contemplates passing the Tagus at the Puente de Cardinal, is prevented by the ill-conduct of the junta--His troops distressed for provisions--He resolves to retire into Portugal--False charge made by Cuesta against the British army refuted--Beresford's proceedings--Mr. Frere superseded by lord Wellesley--The English army abandons its position at Jaraceijo and marches towards Portugal--Consternation of the junta--Sir A. Wellesley defends his conduct, and refuses to remain in Spain--Takes a position within the Portuguese frontier--Sickness in the army 429

General observations on the campaign--Comparison between the operations of sir John Moore and sir A. Wellesley 447

LIST OF PLATES.

NOTICE.

General Semel?'s journal, referred to in this volume, is only an unattested copy; the rest of the manuscript authorities quoted or consulted are original papers belonging to, and communications received from, the duke of Wellington, marshal Soult, marshal Jourdan, Mr. Stuart, sir J. Cradock, sir John Moore, and other persons employed either in the British or French armies during the Peninsular War.

The returns of the French army are taken from the emperor Napoleon's original Muster Rolls.

The letter S. marks those papers received from marshal Soult.

HISTORY

OF THE

PENINSULAR WAR.

The effect produced in England by the unfortunate issue of sir John Moore's campaign, was not proportionable to the importance of the subject. The people, trained to party politics, and possessing no real power to rebuke the folly of the cabinet, regarded disasters and triumphs with factious rather than with national feelings, and it was alike easy to draw the public attention from affairs of weight, and to fix it upon matters of little moment. In the beginning of 1809, the duke of York's conduct being impeached, a parliamentary investigation followed; and to drag the private frailties of that prince before the world, was thought essential to the welfare of the country, when the incapacity which had caused England and Spain to mourn in tears of blood, was left unprobed. An insular people only, who are protected by their situation from the worst evils of war, may suffer themselves to be thus deluded; but if an unfortunate campaign were to bring a devastating enemy into the heart of the country, the honour of a general, and the whole military policy of the cabinet, would no longer be considered as mere subjects for the exercise of a vile sophist's talents for misrepresentation.

It is true that the ill success of the British arms was a topic, upon which many orators in both houses of parliament expatiated with great eloquence, but the discussions were chiefly remarkable, as examples of acute debating without any knowledge of facts. The opposition speakers, eager to criminate the government, exaggerated the loss and distress of the retreat, and comprehending neither the movements nor the motives of sir John Moore, urged several untenable accusations against their adversaries. The ministers, disunited by personal feelings, did not all adopt the same ground of defence. Lord Castlereagh and lord Liverpool, passing over the errors of the cabinet by which the general had been left only a choice of difficulties, asserted, and truly, that the advantages derived from the advance to Sahagun more than compensated for the losses in the subsequent retreat. Both those statesmen paid an honourable tribute to the merits of the commander; but Mr. Canning, unscrupulously resolute to screen Mr. Frere, assented to all the erroneous statements of the opposition, and endeavoured with malignant dexterity to convert them into charges against the fallen general. Sir John Moore was, he said, answerable for the events of the campaign, whether the operations were glorious or distressful, whether to be admired or deplored, they were his own, for he had kept the ministers ignorant of his proceedings. Being pressed closely on that point by Mr. C. Hutchinson, Mr. Canning repeated this assertion. Not long afterwards, sir John Moore's letters, written almost daily and furnishing exact and copious information of all that was passing in the Peninsula, were laid before the house.

The reverses experienced in Spain had somewhat damped the ardour of the English people; but a cause so rightful in itself, was still popular, and a treaty having been concluded with the junta, by which the contracting powers bound themselves to make common cause against France, and to agree to no peace except by mutual consent, the ministers appeared resolute to support the contest. But while professing unbounded confidence in the result of the struggle, they already looked upon the Peninsula as a secondary object; for the preparations of Austria, and the reputation of the archduke Charles, whose talents were foolishly said to exceed Napoleon's, had awakened the dormant spirit of coalitions. It was more agreeable to the aristocratic feelings of the English cabinet, that the French should be defeated by a monarch in Germany, than by a plebeian insurrection in Spain. The obscure intrigues carried on through the princess of Tour and Taxis, and the secret societies of Germany emanating as they did from patrician sources, engaged all the attention of the ministers, and exciting their sympathy, nursed those distempered feelings, which led them to see weakness and disaffection in France when, throughout that mighty empire, few desired and none dared openly to oppose the emperor's wishes, when even secret discontent was confined to some royalist chiefs and splenetic republicans, whose influence was never felt until after Napoleon had suffered the direst reverses.

Unable to conceive the extent of that monarch's views, and the grandeur of his genius, the ministers attributed the results of his profound calculations to a blind chance, his victories to treason, to corruption, to any thing but that admirable skill, with which he wielded the most powerful military force that ever obeyed the orders of a single chief. And thus self-deluded, and misjudging the difficulties to be encountered, they adopted every idle project, and squandered their resources without any great or decided effort. While negotiating with the Spanish Junta for the occupation of Cadiz, they were also planning an expedition against Sicily; and while loudly asserting their resolution to defend Portugal, reserved their principal force for a blow against Holland; their preparations for the last object being, however, carried on with a pomp and publicity little suitable to war. With what a mortal calamity that pageant closed, shall hereafter be noticed; but at present it is fitting to describe the operations that took place in Spain, coincident with and subsequent to the retreat of sir John Moore.

It has been already stated, that when the capital surrendered to the Emperor, he refused to permit Joseph to return there, unless the public bodies and the heads of families would unite to demand his restoration, and swear, without any mental reservation, to be true to him. Registers had consequently been opened in the different quarters of the city, and twenty-eight thousand six hundred heads of families inscribed their names, and voluntarily swore, in presence of the host, that they were sincere in their desire to receive Joseph. After this, deputa.. Le ho detto che oggi le avrei risposto ed oggi le risponder?.--

Leonardo aveva finito di vestirsi e si guardava intorno.

--Vacci subito,--disse Agenore,--spicciati, io ti aspetto qui....--

Leonardo non rispose, prese sbadatamente il cappello e lo tenne in mano facendolo girare.

--? una scena disgustosa,--disse alla fine lentamente,--non ci avevo pensato, mi sembrava facile ed ? difficile; ci saranno lagrime, parole grosse... ho una natura cos? impressionabile; mi spiace veder piangere una donna.... Ernesta poi... a cui voglio bene.... Ah! mi viene un'idea; ? la mattina delle idee... ma questa ? eccellente.... Ecco, Agenore, ci vai tu da mia moglie, te le presenti, le sveli l'animo mio, la persuadi che io non ho alcun torto verso di lei, le spieghi bene le cose, la induci ad accettare la vita libera nel tetto coniugale.... ed in caso disperato....

--In caso disperato?

--Le dici che il suo codice non serve a nulla, che quando ella vorr? stare in citt?, io me ne andr? a viaggiare, e quando ella vorr? andare in campagna od ai bagni io star? in citt?.... cos? sar? liberata dalla mia odiosa presenza e non si faranno scandali. Ci vai?

--Ci vado.

--Ah tu sei il migliore degli uomini ed il migliore dei medici; mi hai tolto una montagna dallo stomaco; servigi come questo non si dimenticano.... conta sulla mia gratitudine... io corro perch? ? la una e mezza; alle due mi aspettano al Cova. Fatti annunciare.... mia moglie non ti far? fare anticamera.--

E Leonardo, trasformato in volto dall'ottima idea che gli era venuta, usc? guardandosi intorno per paura di incontrarsi colla sposa; quando fu sul pianerottolo, si freg? le mani come uno scolaro e scese le scale a precipizio.

Missione diplomatica.

Il dottor Agenore aveva accettato il difficile incarico con un po' di leggierezza. Ci pensava ora e diceva a s? stesso che se la discussione ? inutile, la persuasione ? impossibile, salvo in certi casi di felice rilassamento delle fibre. Fin? con dirsi che po' poi non doveva fare un predicozzo, n? un'orazione, ma un'ambasciata pura e semplice.

E si fece annunciare alla signora.

La signora lo ricevette nella sua camera da letto, in veste da mattina, sdraiata sopra un divano, dandosi l'imperio e la disinvoltura dell'indolenza.

--Buon giorno, dottore,--disse la prima,--come sta?

--Bene,--rispose Agenore senza scomporsi,--e quanto a lei, cara signora, invece di domandarglielo me ne accerter? io stesso.--

Cos? dicendo, le si sedeva accanto e le pigliava il polso tra l'indice ed il pollice.

--Un po' agitato, ma abbastanza regolare; ella ? in grado di ascoltare pacatamente quello che le devo dire.... Suo marito....

--Mio marito!... ? dunque mandato da mio marito? E perch? non ? venuto egli stesso?

--Era aspettato al Cova.

--Ah!

--Il mio amico Leonardo ? dolente di non essere compreso, ? sicuro di fare il suo dovere di buon marito, non sa darsi pace...--

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