Chapter III: Book XXIII: Chap. I

War in the south of France—Soult’s political
difficulties—Privations of the allied troops—Lord Wellington
appeals to their military honour with effect—Averse to offensive
operations, but when Napoleon’s disasters in Germany became
known, again yields to the wishes of the allied sovereigns—His
dispositions of attack retarded—They are described—Battle of the
Nivelle—Observations—Deaths and characters of Mr. Edward Freer and
colonel Thomas Lloyd 326

CHAP. II.

Soult occupies the entrenched camp of Bayonne, and the line of
the Nive river—Lord Wellington unable to pursue his victory
from the state of the roads—Bridge-head of Cambo abandoned by
the French—Excesses of the Spanish troops—Lord Wellington’s
indignation—He sends them back to Spain—Various skirmishes in front
of Bayonne—The generals J. Wilson and Vandeleur are wounded—Mina
plunders the Val de Baygorry—Is beaten by the national
guards—Passage of the Nive and battles in front of Bayonne—Combat
of the 10th—Combat of the 11th—Combat of the 12th—Battle of St.
Pierre—Observations 363

CHAP. III.

Respective situations and views of lord Wellington and
Soult—Partizan warfare—The Basques of the Val de Baygorry excited
to arms by the excesses of Mina’s troops—General Harispe takes
the command of the insurgents—Clauzel advances beyond the Bidouze
river—General movements—Partizan combats—Excesses committed by the
Spaniards—Lord Wellington reproaches their generals—His vigorous
and resolute conduct—He menaces the French insurgents of the
valleys with fire and sword and the insurrection subsides—Soult
hems the allies right closely—Partizan combats continued—Remarkable
instances of the habits established between the French and British
soldiers of the light division—Shipwrecks on the coast 410

CHAP. IV.

Political state of Portugal—Political state of Spain—Lord
Wellington advises the English government to prepare for a war with
Spain and to seize St. Sebastian as a security for the withdrawal
of the British and Portuguese troops—The seat of government and the
new Cortez are removed to Madrid—The duke of San Carlos arrives
secretly with the treaty of Valençay—It is rejected by the Spanish
regency and Cortez—Lord Wellington’s views on the subject 425

CHAP. V.

Political state of Napoleon—Guileful policy of the allied
sovereigns—M. de St. Aignan—General reflections—Unsettled policy of
the English ministers—They neglect lord Wellington—He remonstrates
and exposes the denuded state of his army 440

CHAP. VI.

Continuation of the war in the eastern provinces—Suchet’s erroneous
statements—Sir William Clinton repairs Taragona—Advances to
Villa Franca—Suchet endeavours to surprise him—Fails—The French
cavalry cut off an English detachment at Ordal—The duke of San
Carlos passes through the French posts—Copons favourable to his
mission—Clinton and Manso endeavour to cut off the French troops at
Molino del Rey—They fail through the misconduct of Copons—Napoleon
recalls a great body of Suchet’s troops—Whereupon he reinforces the
garrison of Barcelona and retires to Gerona—Van Halen—He endeavours
to beguile the governor of Tortoza—Fails—Succeeds at Lerida,
Mequinenza, and Monzon—Sketch of the siege of Monzon—It is defended
by the Italian soldier St. Jaques for one hundred and forty
days—Clinton and Copons invest Barcelona—The beguiled garrisons of
Lerida, Mequinenza, and Monzon, arrive at Martorel—Are surrounded
and surrender on terms—Capitulation violated by Copons—King
Ferdinand returns to Spain—His character—Clinton breaks up his
army—His conduct eulogised—Lamentable sally from Barcelona—The
French garrisons beyond the Ebro return to France and Habert
evacuates Barcelona—Fate of the prince of Conti and the duchess of
Bourbon—Siege of Santona 475