Chapter III

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 Coruña--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 Coruña--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

CHAPTER IV.

State of the British army--Embarrassments of sir Arthur
Wellesley--State and numbers of the French armies--State and
numbers of the Spanish armies--Some account of the _partidas_,
commonly called _guerillas_--Intrigues of Mr. Frere--Conduct
of the central junta--Their inhuman treatment of the French
prisoners--Corruption and incapacity--State of the Portuguese
army--Impolicy of the British government--Expedition of
Walcheren--Expedition against Italy 334

BOOK IX.

CHAPTER I.

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