Chapter VI

Operations in Catalonia--General Swartz marches against the
town of Manresa, and general Chabran against Taragona--French
defeated at Bruch--Chabran recalled--Burns Arbos--Marches
against Bruch--Retreats--Duhesme assaults Gerona--Is repulsed
with loss--Action on the Llobregat--General insurrection
of Catalonia--Figueras blockaded--General Reille relieves
it--First siege of Gerona--The marquis of Palacios arrives in
Catalonia with the Spanish troops from the Balearic isles,
declared captain-general under St. Narcissus, re-establishes
the line of the Llobregat--The count of Caldagues forces the
French lines at Gerona--Duhesme raises the siege and returns
to Barcelona--Observations--Moncey marches against Valencia,
defeats the Spaniards at Pajaso, at the Siete Aguas, and at
Quarte--Attacks Valencia, is repulsed, marches into Murcia,
forces the passage of the Xucar, defeats Serbelloni at San
Felippe, arrives at San Clemente--Insurrection at Cuenca,
quelled by general Caulincourt--Observations 74

CHAPTER VII.

Second operations of Bessieres--Blake’s and Cuesta’s armies unite
at Benevente--Generals disagree--Battle of Rio Seco--Bessieres’
endeavours to corrupt the Spanish generals fail--Bessieres
marches to invade Gallicia, is recalled, and falls back to
Burgos--Observations 101

CHAPTER VIII.

Dupont marches against Andalusia, forces the bridge of Alcolea,
takes Cordoba--Alarm at Seville--Castaños arrives, forms a new
army--Dupont retreats to Andujar, attacks the town of Jaen--Vedel
forces the pass of Despeñas Perros, arrives at Baylen--Spanish
army arrives on the Guadalquivir--General Gobert defeated and
killed--Generals Vedel and Darfour retire to Carolina--General
Reding takes possession of Baylen--Dupont retires from
Andujar--Battle of Baylen--Dupont’s capitulation, eighteen
thousand French troops lay down their arms--Observations--Joseph
holds a council of war, resolves to abandon Madrid--Impolicy of
so doing 112

BOOK II.