Chapter IV: Book XVI: Chap. I

Political situation of king Joseph—Political state
of Spain—Political state of Portugal—Military
operations—Julian Sanchez captures the governor of Ciudad
Rodrigo—General Thiebault introduces a convoy and a
new governor into that fortress—Difficulty of military
operations on the Agueda—The allied army, being pressed for
provisions, takes wide cantonments, and preparations are
secretly made for the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo 345

CHAP. II.

Review of the different changes of the war—Enormous efforts
of Napoleon—Lord Wellington’s situation described—His
great plans explained—His firmness and resolution under
difficulties—Distressed state of his army—The prudence and
ability of lord Fitzroy Somerset—Dissemination of the French
army—Lord Wellington seizes the opportunity to besiege
Ciudad Rodrigo 362

CHAP. III.

Means collected for the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo—Major
Sturgeon throws a bridge over the Agueda—Siege of Ciudad
Rodrigo—Colonel Colborne storms fort Francesco—The scarcity
of transport baulks lord Wellington’s calculations—Marmont
collects troops—Plan of the attack changed—Two breaches are
made and the city is stormed—Observations 375

CHAP. IV.

Execution of the French partizans and English deserters
found in Ciudad Rodrigo—The works are repaired—Marmont
collects his army at Salamanca—Bonet abandons the
Asturias—Souham advances to Matilla—Hill arrives at
Castello Branco—The French army harassed by winter
marches and by the Partidas—Marmont again spreads his
divisions—Agueda overflows, and all communication with
Ciudad Rodrigo is cut off—Lord Wellington prepares to
besiege Badajos—Preliminary measures—Impeded by bad
weather—Difficulties and embarrassments arise—The
allied army marches in an unmilitary manner towards
the Alemtejo—Lord Wellington proposes some financial
measures—Gives up Ciudad to the Spaniards—The fifth
division is left in Beira—Carlos d’Espagna and general
Victor Alten are posted on the Yeltes—The Portuguese militia
march for the Coa—Lord Wellington reaches Elvas—He is beset
with difficulties—Falls sick, but recovers rapidly 390

CHAP. V.

The allies cross the Guadiana—Beresford invests
Badajos—Generals Graham and Hill command the covering
army—Drouet retires to Hornaches in the Llerena—Third
English siege of Badajos—Sally of the garrison
repulsed—Works impeded by the rain—The besieged rake the
trenches from the right bank of the Guadiana—The fifth
division is called up to the siege—The river rises and
carries away the bridge, and the siege is upon the point of
being raised—Two flying bridges are established—The fifth
division invest St. Christoval and the bridge-head—The
Picurina is stormed—The batteries open against the San
Roque and the body of the place—The covering army drive
general Drouet from the Serena into the Morena on the side
of Cordova—Marmont collects his forces in Leon—The Spanish
officers and the Portuguese government neglect the supplies
of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida—Soult advances from Cordova
towards Llerena—The fifth division is brought over the
Guadiana—The works of the siege are pressed—An attempt to
blow up the dam of the inundation fails—The two breaches
become practicable—Soult effects his junction with Drouet
and advances to the succour of the place—Graham and Hill
fall back—The bridge of Merida is destroyed—The assault is
ordered, but countermanded—A third breach is formed—The
fortress is stormed with a dreadful slaughter, and the city
is sacked by the allies 399

CHAP. VI.

The state of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida obliges lord
Wellington to relinquish his design of invading
Andalusia—Soult’s operations described—He reaches Villa
Franca—Hears of the fall of Badajos and retires—Penne
Villemur and Morillo move from the Niebla against
Seville—Ballesteros having defeated Maransin at Cartama,
comes from the Ronda against Seville—A French convoy is
stopped in the Morena, and the whole of Andalusia is in
commotion—Seville is saved by the subtlety of a Spaniard
in the French interest—Ballesteros retires—Assaults
Zahara and is repulsed—Sends a division against Ossuna,
which is also repulsed by the _Escopeteros_—Drives general
Rey from Allora to Malaga—Soult marches from Llerena
towards Seville, and general Conroux brings a brigade up
from the Guadalete to attack Ballesteros—Sir S. Cotton
defeats general Peyreymont’s cavalry near Usagre—Soult
concentrates his army near Seville to light the allies—Lord
Wellington marches to Beira—Marmont’s operations—He marches
against Ciudad Rodrigo—Carlos d’España retires towards
Almeida and Victor Alten towards Penamacor—The French
appear before Almeida—General Trant arrives on the Cabeça
Negro—The French retire and Trant unites with J. Wilson at
Guarda—Marmont advances to Sabugal—Victor Alten abandons
Penamacor and Castello Branco, and crosses the Tagus—The
Portuguese general Lecor opposes the enemy with skill and
courage—Marmont drives Trant from Guarda and defeats his
militia on the Mondego—Lord Wellington crosses the Tagus and
enters Castello Branco—Marmont’s position perilous—Lord
Wellington advances to attack him—He retreats over the
Agueda—The allied army is spread in wide cantonments, and
the fortresses are victualled 434

CHAP. VII.

General observations—The campaign considered—The
justice of Napoleon’s views vindicated, and Marmont’s
operations censured as the cause of the French
misfortunes—The operations of the army of the centre
and of the south examined—Lord Wellington’s operations
eulogized—Extraordinary adventures of captain Colquhon
Grant—The operations of the siege of Badajos examined—Lord
Wellington’s conduct vindicated 450