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Lord Wellington's sieges vindicated--Operations in Spain--State of Gallicia--Change of commanders--Bonet's operations in the Asturias--Activity of the Partidas--Their system of operations--Mina captures a large convoy at Arlaban--Bessieres contracts his position--Bonet abandons the Asturias--Santocildes advances into Leon--French dismantle Astorga--Skirmish on the Orvigo--General inefficiency of the Gallicians and Asturians--Operations in the eastern provinces--State of Aragon--State of Catalonia--State of Valencia--Suchet marches against Tortoza--Fails to burn the boat-bridge there--M'Donald remains at Gerona--The Valencians and Catalonians combine operations against Suchet--O'Donnel enters Tortoza--Makes a sally and is repulsed--The Valencians defeated near Uldecona--Operations of the seventh corps--M'Donald reforms the discipline of the troops--Marches with a convoy to Barcelona--Returns to Gerona and dismantles the outworks of that place--O'Donnel's plans--M'Donald marches with a second convoy--Reaches Barcelona and returns to Gerona--Marches with a third convoy--Forces the pass of Ordal--Enters Reus and opens the communications with Suchet 1

O'Donnel withdraws his troops from Falcet and surrounds the seventh corps--M'Donald retires to Lerida--Arranges a new plan with Suchet--Ravages the plains of Urgel and the higher valleys--The people become desperate--O'Donnel cuts the French communication with the Ampurdan--Makes a forced march towards Gerona--Surprises Swartz at Abispal--Takes Filieu and Palamos--Is wounded and returns to Taragona--Campo Verde marches to the Cerda?a--M'Donald enters Solsona--Campo Verde returns--Combat of Cardona--The French retreat to Guisona, and the seventh corps returns to Gerona--M'Donald marches with a fourth convoy to Barcelona--Makes new roads--Advances to Reus--The Spaniards harass his flanks--He forages the Garriga district and joins the third corps--Operations of Suchet--General Laval dies--Operations of the Partidas--Plan of the secret junta to starve Aragon--General Chlopiski defeats Villa Campa--Suchet's difficulties--He assembles the notables of Aragon and reorganizes that province--He defeats and takes general Navarro at Falcet--Bassecour's operations--He is defeated at Uldecona 19

Tortoza--Its governor feeble--The Spaniards outside disputing and negligent--Captain Fane lands at Palamos--Is taken--O'Donnel resigns and is succeeded by Campo Verde--Description of Tortoza--It is invested--A division of the seventh corps placed under Suchet's command--Siege of Tortoza--The place negotiates--Suchet's daring conduct--The governor surrenders--Suchet's activity--Habert takes the fort of Balaguer--M'Donald moves to Reus--Sarsfield defeats and kills Ugenio--M'Donald marches to Lerida--Suchet goes to Zaragoza--The confidence of the Catalans revives--The manner in which the belligerents obtained provisions explained--The Catalans attack Perillo, and Campo Verde endeavours to surprise Monjuic, but is defeated with great loss--Napoleon changes the organisation of the third and seventh Corps--The former becomes the army of Aragon--The latter the army of Catalonia 36

Suchet prepares to besiege Taragona--The power of the Partidas described--Their actions--They are dispersed on the frontier of Aragon--The Valencians fortify Saguntum--Are defeated a second time at Uldecona--Suchet comes to Lerida--M'Donald passes with an escort from them to Barcelona--His troops burn Manresa--Sarsfield harasses his march--Napoleon divides the invasion of Catalonia into two parts--Sinking state of the province--Rovira surprises Fort Fernando de Figueres--Operations which follow that event 52

Suchet's skilful conduct--His error about English finance--Outline of his arrangements for the siege of Taragona--He makes French contracts for the supply of his army--Forages the high valleys and the frontiers of Castile and Valencia--Marches to Taragona--Description of that place--Campo Verde enters the place--Suchet invests it--Convention relative to the sick concluded between St. Cyr and Reding faithfully observed--Sarsfield comes to Momblanch--Skirmish with the Valencians at Amposta and Rapita--Siege of Taragona--Rapita and Momblanch abandoned by Suchet--Taragona reinforced from Valencia--The Olivo stormed--Campo Verde quits Taragona, and Senens de Contreras assumes the chief command--Sarsfield enters the place and takes charge of the Port or lower town--French break ground before the lower town--The Francoli stormed--Campo Verde's plans to succour the place--General Abb? is called to the siege--Sarsfield quits the place--The lower town is stormed--The upper town attacked--Suchet's difficulties increase--Campo Verde comes to the succour of the place, but retires without effecting any thing--Colonel Skerrett arrives in the harbour with a British force--Does not land--Gallant conduct of the Italian soldier Bianchini--The upper town is stormed with dreadful slaughter 70

Suchet marches against Campo Verde--Seizes Villa Nueva de Sitjes and makes fifteen hundred prisoners--Campo Verde retires to Igualada--Suchet goes to Barcelona--A council of war held at Cervera by Campo Verde--It is resolved to abandon the province as a lost country--Confusion ensues--Lacy arrives and assumes the command--Eroles throws himself into Montserrat--Suchet sends detachments to the valley of Congosta and that of Vich, and opens the communication with M'Donald at Figueras--Returns to Reus--Created a marshal--Destroys the works of the lower town of Taragona--Takes Montserrat--Negotiates with Cuesta for an exchange of the French prisoners in the island of Cabrera--Stopped by the interference of Mr. Wellesley--Mischief occasioned by the privateers--Lacy reorganizes the province--Suchet returns to Zaragoza, and chases the Partidas from the frontier of Aragon--Habert defeats the Valencians at Amposta--The Somatenes harass the French forts near Montserrat--Figueras surrenders to M'Donald--Napoleon's clemency--Observations--Operations in Valencia and Murcia 100

State of political affairs--Situation of king Joseph--His disputes with Napoleon--He resigns his crown and quits Spain--The emperor grants him new terms and obliges him to return--Political state of France as regards the war 120

Political state of England with reference to the war--Retrospective view of affairs--Enormous subsidies granted to Spain--The arrogance and rapacity of the juntas encouraged by Mr. Canning--His strange proceedings--Mr. Stuart's abilities and true judgment of affairs shewn--He proceeds to Vienna--State of politics in Germany--He is recalled--The misfortunes of the Spaniards principally owing to Mr. Canning's incapacity--The evil genius of the Peninsula--His conduct at Lisbon--Lord Wellesley's policy totally different from Mr. Canning's--Parties in the cabinet--Lord Wellesley and Mr. Perceval--Character of the latter--His narrow policy--Letters describing the imbecility of the cabinet in 1810 and 1811 131

Political state of Spain--Disputes amongst the leaders--Sir J. Moore's early and just perception of the state of affairs confirmed by lord Wellington's experience--Points of interest affecting England--The reinforcement of the military force--The claims of the princess Carlotta--The prevention of a war with Portugal--The question of the colonies--Cisnero's conduct at Buenos Ayres--Duke of Infantada demanded by Mexico--Proceedings of the English ministers--Governor of Cura?oa--Lord Wellesley proposes a mediation--Mr. Bardaxi's strange assertion--Lord Wellington's judgment on the question--His discernment, sagacity, and wisdom shewn 146

Political state of Portugal--Mr. Villiers' mission expensive and inefficient--Mr. Stuart succeeds him--Finds every thing in confusion--His efforts to restore order successful at first--Cortes proposed by lord Wellesley--Opposed by the regency, by Mr. Stuart, and by lord Wellington--Observations thereon--Changes in the regency--Its partial and weak conduct--Lord Strangford's proceedings at Rio Janeiro only productive of mischief--Mr. Stuart's efforts opposed, and successfully by the Souza faction--Lord Wellington thinks of abandoning the contest--Writes to the prince regent of Portugal--The regency continues to embarrass the English general--Effect of their conduct upon the army--Miserable state of the country--The British cabinet grants a fresh subsidy to Portugal--Lord Wellington complains that he is supplied with only one-sixth of the money necessary to carry on the contest--Minor follies of the regency--The cause of Massena's harshness to the people of Portugal explained--Case of Mascarhe?as--His execution a foul murder--Lord Wellington reduced to the greatest difficulties--He and Mr. Stuart devise a plan to supply the army by trading in grain--Lord Wellington's embarrassments increase--Reasons why he does not abandon Portugal--His plan of campaign 161

Second English siege of Badajos--Means of the allies very scanty--Place invested--San Christoval assaulted--The allies repulsed--Second assault fails likewise--The siege turned into a blockade--Observations 182

General Spencer's operations in Beira--Pack blows up Almeida--Marmont marches by the passes to the Tagus, and Spencer marches to the Alemtejo--Soult and Marmont advance to succour Badajos--The siege is raised, and the allies pass the Guadiana--Lord Wellington's position on the Caya described--Skirmish of cavalry in which the British are defeated--Critical period of the war--French marshals censured for not giving battle--Lord Wellington's firmness--Inactivity of the Spaniards--Blake moves to the Condado de Niebla--He attacks the castle of Niebla--The French armies retire from Badajos, and Soult marches to Andalusia--Succours the castle of Niebla--Blake flies to Ayamonte--Sails for Cadiz, leaving Ballesteros in the Condado--French move against him--He embarks his infantry and sends his cavalry through Portugal to Estremadura--Blake lands at Almeria and joins the Murcian army--Goes to Valencia, and during his absence Soult attacks his army--Rout of Baza--Soult returns to Andalusia--His actions eulogised 195

State of the war in Spain--Marmont ordered to take a central position in the valley of the Tagus--Constructs forts at Almaraz--French affairs assume a favourable aspect--Lord Wellington's difficulties augment--Remonstrances sent to the Brazils--System of intelligence described--Lord Wellington secretly prepares to besiege Ciudad Rodrigo--Marches into Beira, leaving Hill in the Alemtejo--French cavalry take a convoy of wine, get drunk and lose it again--General Dorsenne invades Gallicia--Is stopped by the arrival of the allies on the Agueda--Blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo.--Carlos Espa?a commences the formation of a new Spanish army--Preparations for the siege--Hill sends a brigade to Castello Branco 215

The garrison of Ciudad Rodrigo make some successful excursions--Morillo operates against the French in Estremadura, is defeated and driven to Albuquerque--Civil affairs of Portugal--Bad conduct of the regency--They imagine the war to be decided, and endeavour to drive lord Wellington away from Portugal--Indications that Napoleon would assume the command in the Peninsula observed by lord Wellington--He expects a combined attack on Lisbon by sea and land--Marmont and Dorsenne collect convoys and unite at Tamames--Advance to succour Ciudad Rodrigo--Combat of Elbodon--Allies retire to Guinaldo--To Aldea Ponte--Combat of Aldea Ponte--The allies retire to Soita--The French retire--Observations 229

State of the war in Spain--Northern provinces--State of Gallicia--Attempt to introduce English officers into the Spanish service--Trafficked for by the Spanish government--Repelled by the Spanish military--The English government encourage the Partidas--Lord Wellington sends the chiefs presents--His after opinion of them--Sir H. Douglas succeeds general Walker--Miserable state of Gallicia described--Disputes between the civil and military--Anomalous proceedings of the English government--Gross abuses in the Spanish army--Expedition against America fitted out in Gallicia with the English supplies intended for the defence of the province--Sir H. Douglas's policy towards the Partidas criticized--Events in the Asturias--Santander surprised by Porlier--Reille and Caffarelli scour Biscay and the Rioja--Bonet invades the Asturias--Defeats Moscoso, Paul Lodosa, and Mendizabel, and occupies Oviedo--In Gallicia the people prefer the French to their own armies--In Estremadura, Drouet joins Girard and menaces Hill--These movements parts of a great plan to be conducted by Napoleon in person 254

Conquest of Valencia--Suchet's preparations described--Napoleon's system eminently methodical--State of Valencia--Suchet invades that province--Blake concentrates his force to fight--His advanced guard put to flight by the French cavalry--He retires to the city of Valencia--Siege of Saguntum--The French repulsed in an assault--Palombini defeats Obispo near Segorbe--Harispe defeats C. O'Donnel at Beneguazil--Oropesa taken--The French batteries open against Saguntum--Second assault repulsed--Suchet's embarrassments--Operations in his rear in Catalonia--Medas islands taken--Lacy proposes to form a general dep?t at Palamos--Discouraged by sir E. Pellew--The Spaniards blow up the works of Berga, and fix their chief dep?t at Busa--Description of that place--Lacy surprises the French in the town of Igualada--Eroles takes a convoy near Jorbas--The French quit the castle of Igualada and join the garrison of Montserrat--That place abandoned--Eroles takes Cervera and Belpuig--Beats the French national guards in Cerda?a--Invades and ravages the French frontier--Returns by Ripol and takes post in the pass of Garriga--Milans occupies Mataro--Sarsfield embarks and sails to the coast of the Ampurdan--These measures prevent the march of the French convoy to Barcelona--State of Aragon--The Empecinado and Duran invade it on one side--Mina invades it on the other--Calatayud taken--Severoli's division reinforces Musnier, and the Partidas are pursued to Daroca and Molino--Mina enters the Cinco Villas--Defeats eleven hundred Italians at Ayerbe--Carries his prisoners to Motrico in Biscay--Mazzuchelli defeats the Empecinado at Cubiliejos--Blake calls in all his troops and prepares for a battle--Suchet's position described--Blake's dispositions--Battle of Saguntum--Observations 266

Suchet resolves to invest the city of Valencia--Blake reverts to his former system of acting on the French rear--Napoleon orders General Reille to reinforce Suchet with two divisions--Lacy disarms the Catalan Somatenes--Their ardour diminishes--The French destroy several bands, blockade the Medas islands, and occupy Mataro--Several towns affected to the French interest--Bad conduct of the privateers--Lacy encourages assassination--Suchet advances to the Guadalaviar--Spanish defences described--The French force the passage of the river--Battle of Valencia--Mahi flies to Alcira--Suchet invests the Spanish camp--Blake attempts to break out, is repulsed--The camp abandoned--The city is bombarded--Commotion within the walls--Blake surrenders with his whole army--Suchet created duke of Albufera--Shameful conduct of the junta of the province--Montbrun arrives with three divisions--Summons Alicant, and returns to Toledo--Villa Campa marches from Carthagena to Albaracin--Gandia and Denia taken by the French--They besiege Peniscola--Lacy menaces Taragona--Defeats a French battalion at Villa Seca--Battle of Altafulla--Siege of Peniscola--The French army in Valencia weakened by draughts--Suchet's conquests cease--Observations 291

Operations in Andalusia and Estremadura--Description of Soult's Position--Events in Estremadura--Ballesteros arrives at Algesiras--Advances to Alcala de Gazules--Is driven back--Soult designs to besiege Tarifa--Concludes a convention with the emperor of Morocco--It is frustrated by England--Ballesteros cooped up under the guns of Gibraltar by S?mel? and Godinot--Colonel Skerrett sails for Tarifa--The French march against Tarifa--Are stopped in the pass of La Pena by the fire of the British ships--They retire from San Roque--General Godinot shoots himself--General Hill surprises general Girard at Aroyo Molino, and returns to the Alemtejo--French reinforced in Estremadura--Their movements checked by insubordination amongst the troops--Hill again advances--Endeavours to surprise the French at Merida--Fine conduct of captain Neveux--Hill marches to Almendralejos to fight Drouet--The latter retires--Phillipon sends a party from Badajos to forage the banks of the Guadiana--Colonel Abercrombie defeats a squadron of cavalry at Fuente del Maestro--Hill returns to the Alemtejo 313

Soult resolves to besiege Tarifa--Ballesteros is driven a second time under the guns of Gibraltar--Laval invests Tarifa--Siege of Tarifa--The assault repulsed--Siege is raised--The true history of this siege exposed--Colonel Skerrett not the author of the success 329

Political situation of king Joseph--Political state of Spain--Political state of Portugal--Military operations--Julian Sanchez captures the governor of Ciudad Rodrigo--General Thiebault introduces a convoy and a new governor into that fortress--Difficulty of military operations on the Agueda--The allied army, being pressed for provisions, takes wide cantonments, and preparations are secretly made for the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo 345

Review of the different changes of the war--Enormous efforts of Napoleon--Lord Wellington's situation described--His great plans explained--His firmness and resolution under difficulties--Distressed state of his army--The prudence and ability of lord Fitzroy Somerset--Dissemination of the French army--Lord Wellington seizes the opportunity to besiege Ciudad Rodrigo 362

Means collected for the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo--Major Sturgeon throws a bridge over the Agueda--Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo--Colonel Colborne storms fort Francesco--The scarcity of transport baulks lord Wellington's calculations--Marmont collects troops--Plan of the attack changed--Two breaches are made and the city is stormed--Observations 375

Execution of the French partizans and English deserters found in Ciudad Rodrigo--The works are repaired--Marmont collects his army at Salamanca--Bonet abandons the Asturias--Souham advances to Matilla--Hill arrives at Castello Branco--The French army harassed by winter marches and by the Partidas--Marmont again spreads his divisions--Agueda overflows, and all communication with Ciudad Rodrigo is cut off--Lord Wellington prepares to besiege Badajos--Preliminary measures--Impeded by bad weather--Difficulties and embarrassments arise--The allied army marches in an unmilitary manner towards the Alemtejo--Lord Wellington proposes some financial measures--Gives up Ciudad to the Spaniards--The fifth division is left in Beira--Carlos d'Espagna and general Victor Alten are posted on the Yeltes--The Portuguese militia march for the Coa--Lord Wellington reaches Elvas--He is beset with difficulties--Falls sick, but recovers rapidly 390

The allies cross the Guadiana--Beresford invests Badajos--Generals Graham and Hill command the covering army--Drouet retires to Hornaches in the Llerena--Third English siege of Badajos--Sally of the garrison repulsed--Works impeded by the rain--The besieged rake the trenches from the right bank of the Guadiana--The fifth division is called up to the siege--The river rises and carries away the bridge, and the siege is upon the point of being raised--Two flying bridges are established--The fifth division invest St. Christoval and the bridge-head--The Picurina is stormed--The batteries open against the San Roque and the body of the place--The covering army drive general Drouet from the Serena into the Morena on the side of Cordova--Marmont collects his forces in Leon--The Spanish officers and the Portuguese government neglect the supplies of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida--Soult advances from Cordova towards Llerena--The fifth division is brought over the Guadiana--The works of the siege are pressed--An attempt to blow up the dam of the inundation fails--The two breaches become practicable--Soult effects his junction with Drouet and advances to the succour of the place--Graham and Hill fall back--The bridge of Merida is destroyed--The assault is ordered, but countermanded--A third breach is formed--The fortress is stormed with a dreadful slaughter, and the city is sacked by the allies 399

General observations--The campaign considered--The justice of Napoleon's views vindicated, and Marmont's operations censured as the cause of the French misfortunes--The operations of the army of the centre and of the south examined--Lord Wellington's operations eulogized--Extraordinary adventures of captain Colquhon Grant--The operations of the siege of Badajos examined--Lord Wellington's conduct vindicated 450

Justificatory papers relating to the state of Spain at different periods 483

Siege of Taragona 498

Political state of king Joseph 512

Conduct of the English government, and extracts from Mr. Canning's and lord Wellesley's instructions to Mr. Stuart 541

Marmont and Dorsenne's operations 549

English papers relating to Soult's and Marmont's operations, and French papers relating to the same 578

Summary of the force of the Anglo-Portuguese army at different periods, exclusive of drummers and fifers, with summary of the French force at different periods, extracted from the imperial muster-rolls 584

LIST OF PLATES.

ERRATA.

NOTICE.

In addition to the manuscript authorities used for the former volumes, several memoirs, journals, and notes of officers employed in the different operations have been consulted for this volume. Amongst others, the Journal of general Harvey of the Portuguese service, and some original papers supplied by sir Howard Douglas.

In a recent controversy, I have expressed my belief that the French army at Albuera, instead of being more, was less numerous, than I had represented it in my account, of that battle. The following letter, since procured, decides the question:--

Si une partie des renforts que j'attends manquent je ferai avec ce que j'aurai, tout ce que pourrai vers le but propos?.

Le g?n?ral-en-chef de l'arm?e imp?riale du midi, M^ Duc de DALMATIE. Pour extraits conformes.

It is not permitted to a man to discover ill-humour at the expressions of a lady; yet when those expressions are dishonouring to him, and that reputation and talents are joined to beauty to give them a wide circulation, it would indicate insensibility to leave them unnoticed.

But, in truth, I have only alluded to general Junot's private qualities when they bore directly upon his government of Portugal, and, by a fresh reference to my work, you will find that I have affirmed nothing of my own knowledge. The character of the late duke of Abrantes, as drawn by me, is that ascribed to him by the emperor Napoleon, and the authority of that great man is expressly quoted. It is against Napoleon therefore, and not against me, who am but a repeater of his uncontradicted observations, that your resentment should be directed.

For my own part I still think that to refrain from vulgar abuse of a gallant enemy will not be deemed un-English, although lord Mahon considers it wholly French; but his lordship's observation incontestibly proves that I have discovered no undue eagerness to malign any of the French generals; and with respect to the duke of Abrantes, I could shew that all the offensive passages in my work rest upon the published authority of his own countrymen, and especially of his great master the emperor Napoleon, and that they are of a milder expression than those authorities would have warranted. It is, however, so natural and so amiable in a lady to defend the reputation of her deceased husband, that rather than appear to detract in any manner from the grace of such a proceeding, I choose to be silent under the unmitigated severity of your grace's observations.

Not so, however, with respect to that part of your remarks which relate to marshal Ney. After carefully re-examining every sentence I have written, I am quite unable to discover the slightest grounds for your grace's accusations. In all parts of my work the name of Ney is mentioned with praise. I have not, indeed, made myself a partizan of marshal Ney in relating his disputes with marshals Soult and Massena, because I honestly believed that he was mistaken; neither have I attributed to him unbounded talents for the higher parts of war, but this is only matter of opinion which the world is quite capable of appreciating at its true value; and upon all other points I have expressed admiration of marshal Ney's extraordinary qualities, his matchless valour, his heroic energy!

In the hope that your grace will now think it reasonable to soften the asperity of your feelings towards my work, I take my leave, with more of admiration for your generous warmth in defence of a person so dear to you, than of any sentiment of resentment for the harsh terms which you have employed towards myself. And I remain, madam,

Your very obedient servant, WILLIAM NAPIER, COLONEL.

HISTORY

OF THE

PENINSULAR WAR.

While marshal Beresford followed Soult towards Llerena lord Wellington recommenced the siege of Badajos, but the relation of that operation must be delayed until the transactions which occurred in Spain, during Massena's invasion of Portugal, have been noticed, for it is not by following one stream of action that a just idea of this war can be obtained. Many of lord Wellington's proceedings might be called rash, and others timid, and slow, if taken separately; yet, when viewed as parts of a great plan for delivering the whole Peninsula, they will be found discreet or daring, as the circumstances warranted: nor is there any portion of his campaigns, that requires this wide-based consideration, more than his early sieges; which, being instituted contrary to the rules of art, and unsuccessful, or, when successful, attended with a mournful slaughter, have given occasion for questioning his great military qualities, which were however, then most signally displayed.

In the northern provinces the events were of little interest. Gallicia after the failure of Renovales' expedition and the shipwreck that followed, became torpid; the junta disregarded general Walker's exhortations, and, although he furnished vast supplies, the army, nominally twenty thousand strong, mustered only six thousand in the field: there was no cavalry, and the infantry kept close in the mountains about Villa Franca, while a weak French division occupied the rich plains of Leon. General Mahi having refused to combine his operations with those of the Anglo-Portuguese army, was thought to be disaffected, and at the desire of the British authorities had been removed to make way for the duke of Albuquerque: he was however immediately appointed to the command of Murcia, by Blake, in defiance of the remonstrances of Mr. Wellesley, for Blake disregarded the English influence.

When Albuquerque died, Gallicia fell to Casta?os, and while that officer was co-operating with Beresford in Estremadura, Santocildes assumed the command. Meanwhile Caffarelli's reserve having joined the army of the north, Santona was fortified, and Bessieres, as I have before observed, assembled seven thousand men at Zamora to invade Gallicia.

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