Chapter X

Massena’s pertinacity--He collects boats on the Tagus,
and establishes a depôt at Santarem--Sends general Foy to
Paris--Casts a bridge over the Zezere--Abandons his position in
front of the Lines--Is followed by lord Wellington--Exploit of
serjeant Baxter--Massena assumes the position of Santarem--Lord
Wellington sends general Hill across the Tagus--Prepares to
attack the French--Abandons this design and assumes a permanent
position--Policy of the hostile generals exposed--General
Gardanne arrives at Cardigos with a convoy, but retreats
again--The French marauders spread to the Mondego--Lord
Wellington demands reinforcements--Beresford takes the command
on the left of the Tagus--Operations of the militia in
Beira--General Drouet enters Portugal with the ninth corps--Joins
Massena at Espinhal--Occupies Leiria--Claparede defeats Silveira
and takes Lamego--Returns to the Mondego--Seizes Guarda and
Covilhao--Foy returns from France--The duke of Abrantes wounded
in a skirmish at Rio Mayor--General Pamplona organizes a secret
communication with Lisbon--Observations 377

BOOK XII.

CHAPTER I.

General sketch of the state of the war--Lord Wellington objects
to maritime operations--Expedition to Fuengirola--Minor
operations in Andalusia--National Cortez assemble in the
Isla de Leon--Its proceedings--New regency chosen--Factions
described--Violence of all parties--Unjust treatment of the
colonies 402

CHAPTER II.

Soult assumes the direction of the blockade of Cadiz--His
flotilla--Enters the Troccadero canal--Villantroys, or
cannon-mortars, employed by the French--Inactivity of the
Spaniards--Napoleon directs Soult to aid Massena--Has some
notion of evacuating Andalusia--Soult’s first expedition
to Estremadura--Carries the bridge of Merida--Besieges
Olivenza--Ballasteros defeated at Castellejos--Flies into
Portugal--Romana’s divisions march from Cartaxo to the succour of
Olivenza--That place surrenders--Romana dies--His character--Lord
Wellington’s counsels neglected by the Spanish generals--First
siege of Badajos--Mendizabel arrives--Files the Spanish army into
Badajos--Makes a grand sally--Is driven back with loss--Pitches
his camp round San Christoval--Battle of the Gebora--Continuation
of the blockade of Cadiz--Expedition of the allies under general
Lapeña--Battle of Barosa--Factions in Cadiz 421

CHAPTER III.

Siege of Badajos continued--Imas surrenders--His cowardice
and treachery--Albuquerque and Valencia de Alcantara taken
by the French--Soult returns to Andalusia--Relative state of
the armies at Santarem--Retreat of the French--Massena’s able
movement--Skirmish at Pombal--Combat of Redinha--Massena halts
at Condeixa--Montbrun endeavours to seize Coimbra--Baffled by
colonel Trant--Condeixa burnt by the French--Combat of Casal
Nova--General Cole turns the French at Panella--Combat of Foz
d’Aronce--Massena retires behind the Alva 450

CHAPTER IV.

Allies halt for provisions--State of the campaign--Passage of the
Ceira--Passage of the Alva--Massena retires to Celerico--Resolves
to march upon Coria--Is prevented by Ney, who is deprived of
his command and sent to France--Massena abandons Celerico and
takes post at Guarda--The allies oblige the French to quit that
position, and Massena takes a new one behind the Coa--Combat of
Sabugal--Trant crosses the Coa and cuts the communication between
Almeida and Ciudad Rodrigo--His danger--He is released by the
British cavalry and artillery--Massena abandons Portugal 473