Chapter V

Tumult in Tarragona--Reding proclaimed general--Reinforcements
join the Spaniards--Actions at Bruch--Lazan advances, and
fights at Castel Ampurias--He quarrels with Reding, and marches
towards Zaragoza--Reding’s plans--St. Cyr breaks Reding’s
line at Llacuna--Actions at Capelades, Igualada, and St.
Magi--French general, unable to take the abbey of Creuz, turns
it, and reaches Villaradona--Joined by Souham’s division,
takes post at Valls and Pla--Reding rallies his centre and
left wing--Endeavours to reach Taragona--Battle of Valls--Weak
condition of Tortosa--St. Cyr blockades Taragona--Sickness
in that city--St. Cyr resolves to retire--Chabran forces the
bridge of Molino del Rey--Conspiracy in Barcelona fails--Colonel
Briche arrives with a detachment from Aragon--St. Cyr retires
behind the Llobregat--Pino defeats Wimpfen at Tarrasa--Reding
dies--His character--Blake is appointed captain-general of the
_Coronilla_--Changes the line of operations to Aragon--Events
in that province--Suchet takes the command of the French at
Zaragoza--Colonels Pereña and Baget oblige eight French companies
to surrender--Blake advances--Battle of Alcanitz--Suchet falls
back--Disorder in his army--Blake neglects Catalonia--St. Cyr
marches by the valley of Congosto upon Vich--Action at the defile
of Garriga--Lecchi conducts the prisoners to the Fluvia--St.
Cyr hears of the Austrian war--Barcelona victualled by a French
squadron--Observations 78

BOOK VI.

CHAPTER I.

Transactions in Portugal--State of that country--Neglected by
the English cabinet--Sir J. Cradock appointed to command the
British troops--Touches at Coruña--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

CHAPTER II.

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 Coruña,
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

CHAPTER III.

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

BOOK VII.