Chapter I

Lord Wellington blockades Pampeluna, besieges St.
Sebastian—Operations on the eastern coast of Spain—General Elio’s
misconduct—Sir John Murray sails to attack Taragona—Colonel Prevot
takes St. Felippe de Balaguer—Second siege of Taragona—Suchet and
Maurice Mathieu endeavour to relieve the place—Sir John Murray
raises the siege—Embarks with the loss of his guns—Disembarks again
at St. Felippe de Balaguer—Lord William Bentinck arrives—Sir John
Murray’s trial—Observations Page 1

CHAP. II.

Danger of Sicily—Averted by Murat’s secret defection from the
emperor—Lord William Bentinck re-embarks—His design of attacking
the city of Valencia frustrated—Del Parque is defeated on the
Xucar—The Anglo-Sicilians disembark at Alicant—Suchet prepares to
attack the allies—Prevented by the battle of Vittoria—Abandons
Valencia—Marches towards Zaragoza—Clauzel retreats to
France—Paris evacuates Zaragoza—Suchet retires to Taragona—Mines
the walls—Lord William Bentinck passes the Ebro—Secures the
Col de Balaguer—Invests Taragona—Partial insurrection in
Upper Catalonia—Combat of Salud—Del Parque joins lord William
Bentinck who projects an attack upon Suchet’s cantonments—Suchet
concentrates his army—Is joined by Decaen—Advances—The allies
retreat to the mountains—Del Parque invests Tortoza—His rear-guard
attacked by the garrison while passing the Ebro—Suchet blows up the
walls of Taragona—Lord William desires to besiege Tortoza—Hears
that Suchet has detached troops—Sends Del Parque’s army to join
lord Wellington—Advances to Villa Franca—Combat of Ordal—The allies
retreat—Lord Frederick Bentinck fights with the French general
Myers and wounds him—Lord William returns to Sicily—Observations 33

CHAP. III.

Siege of Sebastian—Convent of Bartolomeo stormed—Assault on the
place fails—Causes thereof—Siege turned into a blockade, and the
guns embarked at Passages—French make a successful sally 65

CHAP. IV.

Soult appointed the emperor’s lieutenant—Arrives at Bayonne—Joseph
goes to Paris—Sketch of Napoleon’s political and military
situation—His greatness of mind—Soult’s activity—Theatre of
operations described—Soult resolves to succour Pampeluna—Relative
positions and numbers of the contending armies described 86

CHAP. V.

Soult attacks the right of the allies—Combat of Roncesvalles—Combat
of Linzoain—Count D’Erlon attacks the allies’ right centre—Combat
of Maya—General Hill takes a position at Irueta—General Picton
and Cole retreat down the Val de Zubiri—They turn at Huarte and
offer battle—Lord Wellington arrives—Combat of the 27th—First
battle of Sauroren—Various movements—D’Erlon joins Soult who
attacks general Hill—Second battle of Sauroren—Foy is cut off
from the main army—Night march of the light division—Soult
retreats—Combat of Doña Maria—Dangerous position of the
French at San Estevan—Soult marches down the Bidassoa—Forced
march of the light division—Terrible scene near the bridge of
Yanzi—Combats of Echallar and Ivantelly—Narrow escape of lord
Wellington—Observations 109