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HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.

“Unto thee
“Let thine own times as an old story be.”

Donne.

BY ROBERT SOUTHEY, ESQ. LL.D.
POET LAUREATE,

HONORARY MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY, OF THE
ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY OF HISTORY, OF THE ROYAL
INSTITUTE OF THE NETHERLANDS, OF THE
CYMMRODORION, OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ETC.

A NEW EDITION.

IN SIX VOLUMES.

VOL. VI.

LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE-STREET.
MDCCCXXXVII.

Ἱστορίας γὰρ ἐὰν ἀφέλῃ τις τὸ διὰ τί, καὶ πῶς, καὶ τίνος χάριν ἐπράχθη, καὶ τὸ πραχθὲν πότερα εὔλογον ἔσχε τὸ τέλος, τὸ καταλειπόμενον αὐτῆς ἀγώνισμα μὲν, μάθημα δὲ οὐ γίγνεται· καὶ παραυτίκα μὲν τέρπει, πρὸς δὲ τὸ μέλλον οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ τὸ παράπαν.

Polybius, lib. iii. sect. 31.

CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH VOLUME

CHAPTER XLI.
(CONTINUED.)
	Page
Duran enters Soria	1
Members of the Junta of Burgos seized by the French and put to death	2
Circumstances of the execution	4
Treatment of their bodies	5
Retaliatory executions	6
El Manco	7
Mutual retaliations	7
Guerrilla exploits	8
Intercepted letters from the Intruder	9
Sir Rowland Hill’s expedition against the bridge of Almaraz	12
Ballasteros defeated at Bornos	16
Lord Wellington advances into Spain	16
Salamanca	17
The Tormes	18
The allies enter Salamanca	18
Siege of the forts there	19
Marmont moves to relieve them	21
Surrender of the forts	24
Marmont falls back upon the Douro	25
Lord Wellington advances to that river	26
The Douro	27
Marmont reinforced by General Bonnet	28
Lord Wellington retires before him	29
Battle of Salamanca	33
Proceedings of Sir Home Popham on the coast of Biscay	41
CHAPTER XLII.
Appeal of the Intruder to the Spaniards	47
State of Madrid	48
Measures of the Intruder before the battle of Salamanca	49
Advance of the allies	50
Affair at Majalahonda	51
The enemy retire from Madrid	51
The allies enter	52
The new constitution proclaimed there	52
The Buen Retiro	53
Surrender of the Retiro	56
The constitution sworn to	56
General Foy’s movement	58
Measures of police at Madrid	59
Lord Wellington’s situation	61
Anglo-Sicilian army	62
Majorcan division	63
The expedition arrives on the coast of Catalonia	64
Defeat of the Spaniards at Castalla	65
The expedition lands at Alicante	66
The French fall back to the Xucar	66
They withdraw from Santander	67
And are driven from Bilbao	67
State of the Galician army	67
The French break up the siege of Cadiz	68
Movement of General La Cruz Mourgeon and Colonel Skerrett upon Seville	69
Brigadier-General Downie	69
The French driven from Seville	71
Rejoicing in that city	73
Honours rendered to Lord Wellington	74
St. Teresa appointed co-patroness of Spain	74
Lord Wellington commander-in-chief of the Spanish armies	77
His situation at Madrid	77
He moves toward Burgos	79
The French withdraw from Valladolid	79
The allies advance to Burgos	80
Burgos	81
The allies enter Burgos	85
Castle of Burgos	86
The horn-work on St. Miguel’s taken	87
Failure in assaulting the first line	89
A second assault fails	90
A third by daylight proves successful	91
Major Cocks	93
The second line assaulted with ill success	95
Movement of the French in the North	95
Ballasteros refuses to act under the British commander	96
He is exiled to Ceuta	97
General Maitland gives up the command of the Anglo-Sicilian army	98
Unsuccessful attempt upon Denia	99
The French prepare to march from the South against Lord Wellington	99
Castle of Chinchilla taken by them	99
They begin their march	100
Lord Wellington raises the siege of Burgos	101
Retreat from Burgos	101
Disorder during the retreat	102
The allies halt	104
Sir Rowland Hill retreats from the Xarama	106
State of Madrid	107
The allies withdraw from Madrid	107
The French enter	108
Junction of the retreating armies	109
Junction of the French armies	110
Lord Wellington retreats to Salamanca	111
And from thence to the Agueda	112
Sufferings of the army	112
Sir Edward Paget made prisoner	114
Lord Wellington reaches Ciudad Rodrigo	115
The French retire to the Tormes	116
Castle of Alba de Tormes evacuated	116
Lord Wellington’s circular letter to the commanding officers of battalions	117
CHAPTER XLIII.
Opinions of the opposition	122
Marquis Wellesley calls for inquiry	122
Lord Grenville	124
Mr. Ponsonby	125
Mr. Freemantle	125
Mr. Whitbread	125
Motion of thanks to the armies	127
Sir F. Burdett	127
Marquis Wellesley moves for a committee	129
Earl Grey	131
Earl of Liverpool	132
Earl Bathurst	132
Lord Holland	133
Lord Wellington goes to Cadiz	133
Arrangements concerning the Spanish armies	134
Lord Wellington goes to Lisbon	135
Relaxed discipline of the Portugueze army	135
Buonaparte withdraws troops from Spain	137
Exactions of the French	138
Longa’s movements in the North	138
Mina’s movements	140
Caffarelli recalled from Spain	141
Clausel endeavours to hunt Mina down	141
Renovales made prisoner	143
Castro de Urdiales taken by General Foy	143
Enormities committed there by the French	144
Marshal Soult called from Spain	145
The Intruder goes to Valladolid	145
Anglo-Sicilian army	146
Sir John Murray takes the command	146
Defeat of Elio’s corps	147
Suchet marches against the Anglo-Sicilian army	147
Battle of Castalla	149
Lord Wellington opens the campaign	153
The left of his army crosses the Douro	153
Affair near Salamanca	154
Passage of the Ezla	157
Sir Rowland Hill crosses the Douro	159
The French abandon Burgos	161
The Ebro	162
Passage of the Ebro	163
The French fall back upon Vittoria	163
Vittoria	165
Battle of Vittoria	166
Sir Thomas Graham proceeds against General Foy	175
The French driven from Tolosa	176
Foy retreats into France	177
Passages is surrendered	178
Castro abandoned by the enemy	178
Pancorbo taken	179
Clausel retires to Zaragoza	179
Preparations for the siege of Pamplona	180
CHAPTER XLIV.
Expedition from Alicante	181
Col de Balaguer taken by the Anglo-Sicilian army	182
The expedition lands near Tarragona	183
Suchet’s movements for the relief of that place	185
Sir John Murray raises the siege	186
Suchet approaches Col de Balaguer and retires again	188
Sir John re-lands the troops	189
Lord W. Bentinck takes the command	190
Fort at Col de Balaguer demolished	190
Unsuccessful movements of the Spaniards in Valencia	191
The expedition returns to Alicante	192
Suchet’s measures after the battle of Vittoria	192
Lord Wellington undertakes the siege of S. Sebastian’s	193
Clausel retreats into France by way of Jaca	193
Duran invites Mina to act with him for the deliverance of Zaragoza	194
Affair before Zaragoza	195
Second sally of the French	197
Duran arrives before the city	197
The French withdraw from the city, leaving a garrison	198
Suchet draws off the remaining garrisons in Aragon	201
Duran enters Zaragoza	202
Mina takes the command	203
The Aljaferia surrendered	204
Conduct of the Zaragozans during their captivity	204
S. Sebastian’s	207
Distribution of the allied army	208
Siege of S. Sebastian’s	210
Convent of S. Bartolomé taken	211
The batteries open	213
Unsuccessful assault	214
The siege suspended	217
Soult appointed Commander-in-chief	218
His address to the troops	219
Critical situation of the allied army	220
Soult’s movements for the relief of Pamplona	221
Battles of the Pyrenees	222
Siege of S. Sebastian’s resumed	230
Preparations for assaulting the town	233
Soult moves for its relief	234
Assault of the town	234
Sir James Leith wounded	238
Sir Richard Fletcher slain	239
The town taken	239
The French defeated in their attempt to relieve it	241
Siege of the castle	244
Excesses committed in the town	246
The garrison surrenders	247
CHAPTER XLV.
The remains of Romana’s army return from the North	251
Lord W. Bentinck invests Tarragona	251
Suchet raises the siege	253
The French abandon Tarragona	254
Plans proposed to Suchet by Soult	254
Suchet surprises the allies at the pass of Ordal	256
The Anglo-Sicilians retreat	257
The command devolves upon Sir William Clinton	258
Position of the armies in the Pyrenean frontier	261
Levy ordered in France for Soult’s army	262
Speech of M. Regnaud de S. Jean Angely	262
Of the Comte de Beurnonville	262
Lord Wellington’s orders upon entering France	263
Passage of the Bidassoa	264
The Bidassoa	265
Attack of the French position	266
Conduct of the French peasantry	270
Pamplona surrendered	272
Soult’s position on the Nivelle	274
Battles of the Nivelle	278
The allies cantoned between that river and the sea	287
S. Jean de Luz	288
Discipline observed by the allies	289
The inhabitants return to their homes	290
Bayonne	291
Passage of the Nive	292
Soult takes a defensive position	306
The allies wait in their cantonments for better weather	307
Marshal Beresford restores the colours of certain Portugueze militia regiments	308
Conduct of the Spanish and Portugueze soldiers at Dantzic	309
Ill conduct of the Spanish government towards Lord Wellington	310
Change of Regency	310
Proceedings in Parliament	311
Lord Grenville’s speech	312
Marquis Wellesley	314
Lord Liverpool	315
Mr. Charles Grant	316
Mr. Whitbread	318
Mr. Canning	320
Mr. Whitbread	325
Militia allowed to volunteer for foreign service	325
Lord Holland	326
Terms offered by the allies to Buonaparte	328
Buonaparte treats with Ferdinand	329
Conference between Comte de Laforest and Ferdinand	329
Treaty concluded at Valençay	334
Duque de San Carlos sent to the Regency	335
Secret instructions from Ferdinand	337
Macanaz sent to Valençay	338
Zayas and Palafox released	339
Palafox sent to the Regency	340
Reply of the Spanish government	340
Measures of the Cortes	341
CHAPTER XLVI.
Buonaparte’s speech to his council	344
Proceedings of the French government	345
Comte Dejean	345
Regnaud de S. Jean d’Angely	345
Lacepède	346
Buonaparte’s speech to the Legislative Assembly	347
British regulations for trading with the captured French ports	347
Injury done by destroying the woods in this part of the Pyrenees	350
Movements in the month of January	352
False reports circulated by the French government	353
The Duc d’Angoulême goes to Lord Wellington’s army	354
Rochejaquelein comes to the British camp	355
Lord Wellington refuses to send an expedition to the coast of Poitou	357
Suchet fails in an attempt to surprise a British corps	358
The German troops in Barcelona disarmed	359
Troops withdrawn from Suchet’s army	359
Failure of an attempt against the enemy at Molins del Rey	360
Farther drafts from Suchet’s army	361
He retires to Gerona	361
Van Halen opens a correspondence with Eroles	363
He deserts from the French army	363
His scheme for recovering certain places	364
The deceit tried at Tortosa	365
It fails there	367
Attempt at Lerida	368
And at Mequinenza, where it succeeds	369
Success at Lerida	370
And at Monzon	372
The three garrisons made prisoners	373
Suchet dismantles Gerona and other places	374
State of Lord Wellington’s army	375
Operations are renewed	376
Preparations for crossing the Adour	378
The Adour	379
Passage of the Adour	381
Entrance of the flotilla	386
A bridge carried over the Adour	389
Passage of the Gaves	391
Orthes	392
Battle of Orthes	394
The French driven from Aire	399
Soult draws nearer the Pyrenees	400
The allies enter Pau	401
Deputies arrive from Bourdeaux	402
The Duc d’Angoulême proceeds thither with Marshal Beresford	402
The Landes	403
The Buonapartists withdraw from Bourdeaux	404
The Duc enters, and the white flag is hoisted there	405
Failure of the negotiations at Chatillon	407
Soult’s proclamation	409
Admiral Penrose enters the Gironde	411
Proceedings at Valençay	414
Ferdinand set at liberty	416
His arrangement with Marshal Suchet	418
He writes from Gerona to the Regency	420
Ferdinand goes to Zaragoza	420
Soult resumes the offensive	421
He retreats upon Tarbes	422
Farther retreat to Toulouse	422
Passage of the Garonne	424
Toulouse	426
Soult’s position there	428
Battle of Toulouse	430
Soult retires from Toulouse	437
The allies enter	438
Louis XVIII proclaimed there	439
Sally of the French from Bayonne	439
Sir John Hope taken prisoner	441
The French repulsed	442
Suchet and Soult acknowledge the new government	444
Disposition of Ferdinand on his return	446
Impolitic measures of the Cortes	447
Cardinal Bourbon’s reception by Ferdinand	452
Elio meets the King	453
Ferdinand enters Valencia	453
The officers swear fidelity to him	455
General Wittingham’s advice	456
Memorial of the Serviles	457
Stone of the Constitution removed	458
Ferdinand’s declaration	459
He enters Madrid	465
Subsequent conduct of the people and of the government	466
Lord Wellington returns to England	467
He takes his seat in the House of Lords	468
The Lord Chancellor’s speech	468
The House of Commons congratulate him on his return	469
He returns thanks to the House	469
The Speaker’s speech	470
Conclusion	471

History of the Peninsular War, Volume 6 (of 6)

About This Book

HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.

CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH VOLUME

History of the Peninsular War, Volume 6 (of 6)

About This Book

HISTORY OF THE PENINSULAR WAR.

CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH VOLUME

HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.