Chapter I: Book XIII: Chap. I

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

CHAP. II.

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 Cerdaña—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

CHAP. III.

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

CHAP. IV.

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

CHAP. V.

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 Abbé 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

CHAP. VI.

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